Ginny's Tale
by irshgirl
Summary: romantic entanglements and missing moments set after order of the Phoenix and half Blood prince from Ginny Weasley's perspective with ron/hermione and neville/luna. Hiatus
1. Chapter 2

Term began in the usual fashion in the Great Hall ; the Sorting followed by Dumbledore's welcome back speech then the actual feast. Discussions were lively all around.

Gossip ran rampant through the tables like any other school and it wasn't any different .

Harry Potter was now being called the Chosen One.

Was he taller this term? Defiantly a bit more handsome , too.

Ron Weasley fought beside him, you know. Look how rugged he is this year!

The Patil sisters spent their holiday vacationing in Switzerland.

Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan spent the holiday in Ireland hanging out on the Quidditch pitch practicing for the try outs this year.

Gossip hadn't changed one bit .Some things never changed , it would seem.

The part about Harry gave Gin a moment of pause as she stared down the table to look at him. He waved at her and resumed talking back with Ron.

He must not be paying any attention to the talk going on around him.

That would be just like Harry though she wondered how he would take to being adored by a gaggle of giggly girls this term. Probably avoid them , if she knew Harry.

Cho chang hadn't been giggly but she'd been enough to make Ginny want to hex her last term during D.A. practice , all but being helpless female so Harry would have to help her.

She couldn't help but be thankful that Harry and Cho had broken up.

Harry needed someone that was strong and who wouldn't accuse him of something as asinine as being involved with his best friend.

Merlin, everyone knew that Hermione was Harry's best friend .

" Ginny," dean tugged affectionately on her hair,' what is so fascinating ?"

She tore her gaze away from Harry , feeling guilty for her own thoughts about him.

" Sorry I was thinking about what Dumbledore said ," lied Ginny," did I miss something ?"

" I just wanted to know if you have any objections if I scout out broom closets for us to be alone in?" asked dean, innocently . They had began with a kiss after all.

Ginny leaned in and dropped an easy kiss on his mouth." No," answered ginny, her candy colored eyes dancing merrily at him," just as we're far away from Malfoy and Parkinson's snogging spot. I also think you need not to be telling that to anyone in your dorm about us as the twins have taken it upon themselves to assign Ron the job of looking after me "

She made a disgruntled face " idiot can barely take care of himself but he will pry into my business..I don't want our love life blabbed to my brother "

Or Harry , she thought but didn't voice out loud.

" That 's fine ," agreed dean," besides I don't want Ron to kill me in my sleep"

" What an awful thing to say, dean," volunteered Luna as she settled in beside Neville," I am sure Ron would never want to hurt you , let alone kill you "

" Oh hey, Loony ," greeted dean, unsure of how to take the dippy girl," hi"

Ginny shot him a disapproving glare that stated that Luna was her friend so be nice.

" I've just heard all sorts of things already about what has happened with us at the Ministry last term," brought up Luna ," you would think that would be old news by now.A 7th year boy from my own House spoke to me this morning -I don't think he was just being nice since he asked how good of friends I am with Harry Potter. "

She shook her blonde waves , sending her ever present radish earring swinging as she moved," Popularity is a funny thing "

" Folks have all gone stupid is what I think " offered Ginny, easily.

" They have your favorite , Luna ," said Neville, placing a plate of chocolate cream tart in front of her . He knew that she would eat three puddings before a drumstick or lamb chop.

" Oh thank you, Neville," Luna placed a hand on his wrist and sent him a special smile of appreciation," your very sweet to remember that "

Ginny met Neville's gaze across the table , tilting her head to include Luna in the silent question. Her friends had danced around her prying after a gentle moment between Luna and Neville at the ministry hospital but Ginny knew better.

His mouth turned into the slightest of half smiles . So it was Neville and Luna this term.

She couldn't wait to corner Luna later and beg for all the juicy details.

Ginny hoped there were details. After al, her friends had feelings like anyone else.

Ginny could hear her boyfriend and Seamus discussing Quidditch so she couldn't resist a quick glance down the table where Harry sat with Ron and Hermione.

Luna noticed her friends gaze and was ever observant ." Hermione's aura is simply lovely . It is all pretty shades of pink , I see. Does Ron know how she feels about him?"

" My brother ," scoffed Ginny," you've got to be kidding . She's been flirting with him all bloody summer . The idiot must be as blind as a bat not to see her, Luna "

" I am sure Ron will ," commented Luna ," he looks at her that way too"

" looks like we got the same schedule this year ," said Harry to his best mate ," and three free periods . Advanced Divination ought to be easy this year ..after last "

" Three free periods," sighed Ron," that will be the best part plus we're 6th years . The little First years have to look up to us now " Harry chuckled his agreement .

" Those study halls will be useful with our workload this year " says Hermione , reaching across the table to pick up a piece of soda bread just as Ron did . He placed his hand over hers and she lifted her eyes in surprise as she fell deep into the clear blue of his.

Oh my !

" Relax, Mione ," replied Ron, not removing his hand ," I mean, you do want to have some fun this year besides all that work you love " She gnawed on her lip and he couldn't resist brushing a finger across her knuckles . Her skin was soft.

This was interesting and she wasn't yelling at him, either .

Only staring at him with a look he hadn't seen before - could that be hope -in those chocolate brown eyes of hers ?

" of course I do , Ron " stammered Hermione, under her breath.

" I'd be happy to just survive the year, myself " commented Harry, breaking the spell .

" Oh, I am sure you will," spoke up a raven haired beauty that was a Fourth year ," Hi Harry , I am romilda vane . I just wanted to introduce myself and say hello"

He turned and sent her an easy smile" Uh, right . Nice to meet you, Romilda "

She gave him a little wave and walked back over to join her gaggle of friends.

ROMILDA VANE! TART!

Ginny jabbed a pork chop with more ferocity than was necessary . Cho chang was an entirely different matter because she and Harry had went out but Romilda Vane wasn't even on the same page.

Ginny counted to five and damn, she had no rights on Harry. This was a fact. She couldn't go around wanting to hex every female that found Harry attractive -she would just have to put more effort into ridding her heart of all these pangs that she had regarding was Crazy about Dean.

This was the truth because if it wasn't she couldn't have been with him.

" Ginny," Dean stared quizzically at her ," it's not exactly a Death Eater or are you picturing your brothers head on a platter ?"

" Something like that ," lied Ginny, chagrined. She plastered a cheery smile on her face and turned all of her attention back where it belonged .

GT

" I believe that you must be the prettiest girl at all of Hogwarts," Dean nuzzled against Ginny's neck. They were situated behind one of the large statues on the 4th floor," and defiantly all of Gryffindor " he kissed the shell of her ear and considered himself lucky that she had even taken notice of him. He had heard talk last term of her crush on Harry.

Since he was mates with Harry , he figured it had to be pretty much just gossip.

Ginny touched his face; Dean had such classic good looks, strong nose, sharp dark eyes, and a kind way about him. Quick to share a joke or help a friend .

She liked all of that about him and found him very attractive.

" You're pretty yourself, Dean " Ginny kissed him once, twice then took it deeper.

" Guys aren't pretty, Gin" corrected Dean, his tone full of fun.

She slid her arms around his neck and grinned teasingly at him." Humor me "

Dean slid a hand into the heavy fall of her copper hair , noticing the shimmer of gold within the red. It was like fire, which fit her personality to a perfect tee.

" Ron isn't happy that I'm dating you" brought up dean of his dorm mate.

" Dean, you have roomed with my brother since your first year ," sighed Ginny, who had been afraid that her overprotective brothers reaction that she was now old enough to date ," please don't ruin it for me by telling me your afraid of Ron"

" Don't be daft ," defended Dean, posturing a bit in defense of his manhood," I just don't want to get on his bad side. He lit into Seamus good last year just defending Harry .."

" Our business, Dean," Ginny took his face into her hands, kissing him," now shut up"

" I don't see anyone," says Hermione as she and Ron strolled down the corridor," I think its much too early for anyone to consider being out of bed " She barely missed seeing Ginny pull her boyfriend flat against the wall to hide ," after all, its only a bit after 9. ..even we snuck out later than that "

" I..I made up my mind about Harry's Quidditch trials ," said Ron, nervously ," I've been practicing a fair bit . I'm going to try out for Keeper, Hermione "

He paused , expectantly , looking at her " I think I have a decent shot. Don't you?"

Harry had been chosen as the Gryffindor Team Captain for Quidditch this year and he was planning on holding try-outs soon. Hermione had helped him make and post fliers all over the school just last week.

" Of course you do," Hermione took a step closer to him and reached out to touch his arm. She didn't know what had happened to her but she couldn't seem to stop finding reasons to touch him. " I believe in you, Ron. I just know you'll be wonderful"

' You do?" inquired Ron, a hint of insecurity creeping into his voice. He reached out, wiggled his fingers, nervously, and brushed his hand against hers.

Did he dare hold her hand ? Would Hermione mind ?

He had held her at the hospital when she had been scared but that had been different. She had been hurt . She had needed him and it had just seemed natural.

Could she want them to be more ? More than best friends ?

"Yes," answered Hermione , softly . Kiss me, Ron. Don't think, just kiss me.

Ron opened his mouth to speak when a bubbly blonde dressed in a short purple dress sashayed between them. Her name was Lavender brown and she was in their year.

" Ron" called Hermione, softly as he was distracted easily by the girl.

" Ron, Ron," gushed lavender , leaning against him, coyly," I didn't see you in study hall. Earlier . I never got the chance to tell you how brave and dashing I think you are -I would so -ooo love to hear your side of the story about what happened last term "

Hermione dropped Ron's arm and shot the girl a filthy look. Lavender was making a play for Ron and right in front of her ! There were words for girls like her .

" Uh, sure , lavender ," stammered a baffled Ron," Hermione and I have to patrol first "

Lavender batted her eyelashes at him." Anytime would be fine, Ron"

Hermione brought her heel down on Ron's foot, angrily. " You are out of your dorm, lavender ," pointed out Hermione, icily," you should get back there . I would hate for Ron and I to have to give you detention so soon in the term"

" I just bet that you would , Hermione " said Lavender , snidely .

"It's hardly past curfew, Hermione ," brought up Ron, confused by her tone .

' We have responsibilities as prefects , Ron" snapped Hermione , evenly.

" I know but im sure lavender is heading back now,' told Ron," let's not ruin the night by giving her a detention. I'm sure she wont do it again.."

" Oh your so sweet, Ron " beamed Lavender , hugging him," thank you so much "

" Very well then .." remarked Hermione , angrily .

Behind the statue, Ginny held tightly to Dean's shoulder , pressing her face into his shirt to prevent from laughing . It would seem that Hermione had a bit of competition for Ron's affections . She had never seen her friend look so furious !

Lavender left in a huff, and Hermione strode angrily down the hall while a bewildered Ron running to catch up with her . He would never understand why she was mad.

" Whew , that was close ," Dean nipped at her nose ," least now I've got ammo. Granger is into Ron. I don't know how I never noticed it before -its really obvious "

" Leave the ammo to me ," declared Ginny," and Dean, I think that our relationship is the least of my brothers worries right now . Now where were we ..oh yes "

She resumed her snogging with an eager Dean . Ron and Hermione forgotten.


	2. Chapter 3

Ginny hurried away from her boyfriend and out into the Transfiguration Courtyard , rounding the corner and spotting the familiar dark hair and glasses that belonged to Harry.

" Harry," called out Ginny," what are you doing out here all alone ?"

She slid onto the bench beside him. Her leg brushed his, companionly . She took a moment to look at him noticing his brow was furrowed and he had a line of worry between his eyes. Again.

Voldermort most likely being the cause of the strain. Why couldn't he get a little peace ?

" Hiding ," confessed Harry, sheepishly ," Don't tell anyone "

Ginny laughed, slightly .' Do you want me to guess who your hiding from?"

This time he let out a wry laugh." Where do I start , Ginny" chuckled Harry

" The beginning is usually the best place to start " said Ginnnny, smartly .

" Quidditch trials that I am in charge of , Slughorn is trying to add me to his Slug Club collection which I have to allow ," continued Harry," I don't want to be a tea cozy. Don't even get me started on this madness of Ron and Hermione "

She arched a delicate brow and he nudged her shoulder . She let out a slow sigh and hoped that he didn't notice that she couldnt seem to catch her breath .

Dammit ! She fancied Dean ! Truly she did but why couldn't she react like this around her boyfriend instead of Harry ?

It was a bit infuriating .

" They still not talking to each other " figured Ginny, getting back on track,' I sort of expected something like this to happen with them-sooner or later "

" I thought they were already with each other sort of during the summer " told Harry

" So your not blind to them either ?" joked Ginny, trying to sound lighter than she felt.

" With Ron and Hermione " expressed Harry in a pained voice," no. I just wish that they'd get on with it and be together already. I caught Hermione holding his hand in the library yesterday and I don't know why Ron is being real careful with her or something.

I considered asking him but I don't know if I'm ready to hear about it yet "

" A lot can happen and change between friends in five years, Harry " murmured Ginny

" What if it doesn't work out between them," worried Harry ," Cho and I barely lasted a term together then we just sort of fell apart. I don't think I could survive being caught in the middle of those two -third year was bad enough when they were rowing "

Ginny had went right over the Ron and Hermione and focused on Harry instead.

" Cho wasn't the right sort of girl for you," barreled on Ginny," really , the girl thought you had a thing for Hermione . Its absurd "

" I know , it was crazy ," recalled Harry with a shake of his head but then Dumbledore had asked him the same thing practically ," Hermione is like my sister "

He frowned ,trying to recall if he had ever discussed his love life with Ginny.

He clearly remembered sitting in the common room and discussing the intricacies of Cho Chang with Ron and Hermione . " Did .how do you know about Cho, Gin?"

Her smile held a tiny bit of guilt . " Sorry," managed ginny," it was just the stupidest thing I had ever heard about . Don't be mad at Hermione for telling me about it . Honestly , Harry, who would believe you and Hermione in the first place ?"

She stopped herself from resorting to babbling ten year old around him. One would have thought she had gotten over that nasty little habit where he was concerned , it wasn't as if she hadn't been honing it these last two years .

" Anyone that knows the both of us , I suppose " answered a resigned harry, leaning a bit to brush against her shoulder . He was caught by the sweet onslaught of flowers that belonged to Ginny and caught a blush rising from her cheeks. " and I'll only be mad at Hermione if she and Ron bungle whatever it is their doing . I wasn't lying earlier, I don't think I can survive another year being caught between those two …."

Death Eaters and Voldermort were after him and he was concerned about being caught in the middle of his two best friends unrequited love. It was almost funny .

Only it wasn't .

" You're a survivor , harry ," Ginny patted his arm as currents vibrated from him to her ," but if it helps any, I personally think it will happen soon. A certain friend that we both know has taken to wearing her heart on her sleeve and even Ron isn't that stupid "

" Brilliant ," pleaded Harry ," maybe you could help hurry them along "

" Oh no," Ginny rose from beside him," I don't get in Ron's business and he stays out of mine . You heard the lot of them at Fred and George's shop this summer , I am entitled to just as much privacy in my life ..despite what all of them, may think "

" Ron included , the blithering idiot brother of mine " she said with afffection.

She tossed her long, copper hair off of her shoulders and for the first time since he could remember , he found himself mesmorized by the glorious shades of red and copper in the strands . It was nearly the shade of fire ; golden fire .

Not the same shade of ginger as Ron and the guys .

" You'd be doing me a favor " implored Harry, enjoying talking alone with her .

Ginny was tempting . When did she become so beautiful ?

Harry was really much more handsome this year 'considered Ginny to herself ,'he'd really grown into the angles of his face and was a man .

" I'll consider it ," murmured Ginny, flirting openly with him," and let you know "

" As for the Quidditch trials ," she leaned forward to him," I don't know about everyone else but I have every intention of blowing the competition out of the way "

" Going to wow me," Harry couldn't help himself from reacting to her natural energy .it didn't necessarily mean he was flirting with her. It was harmless ," are you?"

So maybe it was a bit of flirting but Ginny was still his best mates sister .

" Yes , I am," assured Ginny, confidently ," you'll be begging to have me on your team "

She grabbed his arm and glanced at the watch on his alarm , noticing the time .

" Damn! I'm late ," exclaimed Ginny," sorry , Harry, but its Snape's class "

She waved at him and took off sprinting towards Defense of Dark Arts , not knowing that Harry followed her until she rounded the corner . He leaned against the railing of the bridge, scratched his forehead , and wondered why he was suddenly paying this particular kind of attention to Ginny. He 'd never realized how easy it was to talk to her or how her scent seemed to put his mind into overdrive around her .

Ginny. Ron's sister .

Whatever this was , it could be nothing . His friendship with Ron was too important .

It didn't change the fact that Harry still wanted to kiss Ginny more than anything.


	3. Chapter 4

Ginny discovered that Hermione had been correct that being a Fifth year had much more perks than being a Fourth year and she was having quite the blast already. Though she understood now why her friends grumbled about preparing for the O.W.L.S as she was forced to spend more time studying for them than she would have liked and she still had more than half the term yet to go. Then there was her relationship with Dean seemed to be going well even if he did occasionally try to boss her around .

She was quite the independent young witch and she couldn't stand this . Ginny didn't take bossiness from her brothers and certainly not from a boyfriend .

She and Dean had a bit of a spat over this. Dean had been quick to apologize so everything seemed back to normal between them.

The Gryffindor common was empty so Ginny decided to take advantage of this fact to work on her paper for Herbalogy when Luna skipped in to join her at the table. It was relatively early and most of the Sixth years were still in their classes and Colin Creevey was sprawled on the floor studying his Defense against Dark Arts books .

" Sorry I am late ," apologized Luna ," Neville stopped to see me before he went to help Professor Sprout with the Snarfugluff plants. He is helping her replant them for extra credit and I think he enjoys the company of the plants myself "

Ginny tossed her quill down and fixed her friend with an all knowing look.

" You and Neville had a bit of snogging !" accused Ginny, with glee.

Luna's pale face pinked from blushing ," Ginny"

" Come on, Luna ," prodded Ginny, good natured ," its written all over your face. I have never seen you this chipper at nine in the morning ever '

" I am very cheerful " declared Luna , her eyes twinkling ," ask anyone "

Ginny closed her book " You've been kissing Neville . Admit it , Luna "

" Neville is a gentleman "

" Well I wasn't figuring he would maul you , Luna , but Neville is a guy," urged an eager Ginny, ," tell the truth . He hasn't once tried to kiss you ? Neville is my friend too and I would bet a galleon he wants to kiss his girlfriend which would be you "

" Do I ask about you and Dean ?" asked Luna, innocently .

" Dean and I snog all the time ," conceded Ginny, ' have a heart, Luna . You know that I am all for you and Neville dating each other and its been nearly a month already "

Luna's voice softened " He hasn't tried ..kissing me, that is. Perhaps Neville doesn't find me as attractive …."

Ginny tossed her book aside, giving up interest in finishing her homework. " I doubt that "

" Neville is a bit shy though " conceded a thoughtful Luna ," I do like him rather a lot "

" Merlin, Luna ," sighed Ginny," you and Hermione have more in common than either of you would ever believe . She is no further with Ron than you are with Neville "

" Hermione is in love with Ron " stated Luna , her gaze wondering to the fireplace.

" Exactly ," picked up Ginny, glad that they were on the same wavelength ," You know ,Luna, it wouldn't hurt if you encouraged Neville to kiss you "

" Neville knows that I like him," said Luna, plaintively ," it could be our time is off "

" I think you and Neville should forget about all of the gossips in this school," stated Ginny," and let everyone see that you two are a couple "

Colin stood up, flashing a mischievous grin." Everyone at Hogwarts knows that you and Neville Longbottom are dating , Luna , since the Ministry "

" Oh really ?" questioned Luna on a sigh," I don't take much stock in silly gossip"

Colin shrugged and tucked his book under his arm," I think its cool myself "

" thanks, Colin," smiled Ginny," don't you have Charms to go too?"

" Sure thing , girls ," told Colin," talk to you later .Bye "

Ginny turned her attention back to her friend ." See ? I told you, Luna "

" It is something to think about I must admit ," confessed Luna ," though people only see what they want for I have let him walk me to class quite a lot lately "

She toyed with a radish earring out of habit ," but perhaps I am being a bit careful. Aren't you as well though, Ginny?"

" Dean and I are quite public ," announced Ginny," which kills my idiot brother "

Luna was skeptical but chose to keep that to herself . The one bright spot of light she had recently seen while chatting with Harry the other day about the Wrackspurt problems had been that of Ginny though she felt neither one of them was prepared for what it meant .

She knew that Ginny did care for Dean but felt that he was merely a distraction as she secretly pined away her romantic feelings for Harry Potter .

Love was such a complicated thing , which was why she hadn't pushed and prodded at her relationship with Neville. She trusted it would bloom naturally with them.

" Makes your toes and soles of your feet tingle .Does he ?"

" Can I go with old fashioned Muggle goose bumps ?" offered Ginny with a mischievous smile. " Give me a scrap, anything , Luna , please . Hermione is slower than a snail with Ron and they are always together …please "

" well I suppose it couldn't hurt to give you a bit as I know you'll insist on bugging me or embarrassing poor Neville until one of us gives ," blurted out a resigned Luna in a calm tone ," I feel just lovely when I am with Neville. He has the gentlest smile that I have ever seen on a boy …"

" I knew it ," exclaimed Ginny, excitedly ," you could just tell that night in the hospital after we fought the Death Eaters. Oh and the way you dabbed at the cut on Neville's face was so romantic .Luna and Neville, Neville and Luna "

" Yes, " admitted Luna ," our names do sound nice together " Her brows knitted together .

" I never knew you were into all this whom is fancying the other , Ginny? "

" My family is being watched by the Ministry and Death Eaters,' said Ginny," and then there is Harry and You Know Who, I think all this fancying is more fun and helps me not to worry so much about them all. Besides I think you and Neville are a pair "

" Perhaps ," mused Luna, studying her friend with a critical eye ," and I suppose that would explain why your aura seems troubled , Ginny"

" I think your confusing my aura with somebody else's," dismissed Ginny because she knew that her friends intuition was nearly spot on," that is the only thing I am troubled about ..unless you've caught onto my nerves. I am trying out for Chaser in a couple of days …and I intend to ride circles around those boys "

" Harry will be there to chose " brought up Luna, pointedly .

" Seeing as Harry is the Gryffindor team captain this year ," reminded Ginny," he has to be there . They are his Quid ditch trials, Luna "

Her friend was a dear but Luna's interest in Quidditch was about as far away from the actual game as it could be. Much like Hermione 's intrest in the sport was more the fact that her two best friends loved it but that was here nor there .

" Oh I understand that he hasn't figured it out yet ," murmured Luna in a knowing way," I thought perhaps by now , Harry would be able to see what is starting to be clear "

" Luna, " explained Ginny by rote ," Harry is my friend . I am living my life and Harry has his own to lead. Yes we did spend time together at the Burrow this summer like always and it was wonderful . I wont lie and say that I didn't love laughing with him or talking to him or the fact that this summer he actually hugged me, too"

Luna didn't utter a word but allowed Ginny to continue her long rant .

" None of that means anything more than that we've become real friends . Life goes on and I am quite happy " Her smile wavered ," Even though he hunts me up to talk with me now ..not just Ron and Hermione "

It meant that Harry trusted her on a different level now .

" Are you wanting me to believe that, Ginny," inquired a dubious Luna ," or are you hoping to convince yourself that's what you want ?"

G/H

Whether it was by the natural attraction between Luna and Neville or the encouragement of Ginny Weasley, the couple shared their first kiss over breakfast in the Great hall despite the fact that they had a roomful of audience .

It was relatively short but very sweet and Neville stammered a bit ,embarrassed when Slytherin Blaise zabini called out a cruel remark that had his table laughing .

" I'm sorry , Luna ," apologized Neville,' I shouldn't have done that "

Luna gazed at him and her eyes danced , merrily. " I am quite glad you did , Neville "

She touched his cheek and pressed a barely there kiss upon his lips." Yes, Very glad "

A big smile burst onto Neville's face and he felt himself blushing." Me too"

" Good ," Luna smiled up at him ," now did I tell you about Hagrid asking me to help out this year with the Thestrals and the plimpies. He just requested me to Dumbledore himself only yesterday . I am quite thrilled about it myself …"

" That's great, Luna ," beamed Neville," you'll be great help to Hagrid "

" Oh I do hope so," mused Luna , squeezing his hand ," it should be much fun"

" Way to go, Neville !" Seamus Finnegan called from down the Gryffindor table.

" Shut up, Seamus " contributed Harry," they are dating. Leave them alone "

' Relax, Harry ," told a good natured Seamus ," I was having a bit of fun. Never expected Neville and Luna to pair up is all. Quite the surprise "

" it just proves that there is love for everyone " added Parvarti Patil, eying the Irishman.

" I think you all should mind your own business ," declared Ginny, sliding in to sit down beside Harry," and not worry about Neville and Luna snogging "

" Wow Ginny," Harry couldn't resist teasing her ," doesn't sound like you "

She sent him a small smile and handed him the cornflakes." Eat your cereal, Harry "

God, why was he acting like a..moron with Ginny?

Teasing her had taken on a whole new meaning and he hoped Ron didn't notice that he was actually sort of flirting with her . Or dean, for the matter.

" Maybe I don't want cereal, Ginny ' said Harry, lamely ,' I might want eggs "

Ginny laughed, amused. " Right, Harry, and my brother loves corned beef "

Harry just smiled , poured his cereal, and wondered why his heart was speeding.

It didn't speed up around Cho, or any other girl besides Ginny. He contemplated pulling Hermione aside and questioning her about it but wasn't sure that was such a good idea either . The girls were close and they talked a lot about stuff he was pretty sure he didn't want or need to know. He let out a breath, determined to get past this thing .

Hermione picked idly at her toast and jam , watching Ron and marveling at how rugged and more handsome he had became this year. His shoulders were broad in the Quidditch jumper and it accentuated his muscles of his arm which she longed to be held in.

" Bloody hell, Hermione , eat the damn toast " growled Ron stuffing another sausage in his mouth, hungrily,' I don't think I've ever seen you pick at your breakfast "

Hermione stopped fiddling." I guess I don't have much of an appetite this morning "

Ron swallowed , took a drink of his juice, and watched the little smile play around the corner of her mouth . That pretty smile sent him fantasizing about pulling Hermione into his arms and kissing those pink lips ,like he'd wanted to this summer .

But it was Hermione and it just might ..piss her off . He didn't want that .

" Are you goin to come out to the pitch," blurted Ron, instead," cheer me on ?"

Their eyes collided, locking, and held for the longest time as if suspended .

" I..I..of course , I will be there for you," muttered Hermione , " and Harry too. That is I wouldn't miss you trying out for Keeper for anything, Ron"

" Good " Ron reached across the table for her hand ," I..I want you there , Hermione "

" You ..do?" asked Hermione, electricity coursing through her body from his touch.

" Course I do , for the support ," muttered Ron, caressing her knuckles ," I know I 've been practicing and all but I'm really nervous about the try-outs "

" I believe in you , Ron " admitted Hermione, softly ," you'll be brilliant "

" I hope so ….." said Ron , realizing he was still holding her hand and let it go," plenty of people will be expecting me to make the team since I'm Harry's best mate "

" Harry would never favor you over others, Ron," says Hermione ," it wouldn't be fair "

" I know that , Hermione ," Ron sank back in the bench," which is why I've got to earn this on my own. I've been practicing and I can do this as well as any bloke "

" I know you will " insisted Hermione ,," I've seen you practice hundreds of time "

" So then after if..if I make the team," stumbled Ron, tripping over his words," we could have a celebration party …"

" With us..I mean, " says Hermione , nervously ," I'm sure you mean me, you, and Harry ".

Ron swallowed the lump in his throat and smiled at her ." Just you and me "

Hermione's smile blossomed and a shiver of excitement fluttered in her chest .

" I ..I would love that, Ron " expressed Hermione, " I mean, yes "

" Yeah ," muttered Ron, hoping he wasn't sounding as foolish as he felt ," so we should probably not talk about it until after I make the team, if I make it "

' You will " assured Hermione, glancing at the clock," oh no, I'm going to be late for class. Ron, Harry, we only have seven minutes before its time for Potions "

She picked up her book , sent her best friends a stern look and was off and running .

Harry and Ron exchanged knowing looks." Wonderful " enthused Harry , bored .

" Hermione really needs a free period or three .." commented Ron," come on, let's get on to Slughorn's class before she gives us one of her bloody lectures "

As the two young men rushed out of the Great hall, Ginny couldn't help but wonder how Harry was going to handle all those sparks flying between Ron and Hermione .

She figured they were all lucky ones at the table not to be burned by them and wondered idly if her attraction to Harry would always be one-sided .


	4. Chapter 5

As the holiday neared , Professor Slughorn had made an early announcement that he intended to hold a special Christmas party for his Slug Club inviting many special guests and former members as well. It was the talk of the school, it seemed .

Impatient , nervous, and anxious that the Quidditch trials weren't here yet, Hermione seemingly took matters in her own hands and one morning during a spar with Ron asked him to be her date to the upcoming party. Once the initial shock of what she had just asked him had worn off, Ron had agreed to go with her .

Ginny and Harry had shared a well earned sigh of relief between them over this.

Finally looks like things might be progressing with Ron and Hermione .

It wasn't until after her last class of the day that Ginny was able to grab Hermione and drag her upstairs into their dorm for some serious girl talk.

" I want to know about you and Ron " announced Ginny, not skipping a beat.

" Honestly, Ginny," says Hermione, placing her books on the desk," there isn't all that much to tell. Are you and Dean having more problems ?"

She sat down across from her friend on the bed" Do you want to talk about it ?"

" Dean and Seamus snuck out to the Three Broomsticks ," announced Ginny," what else is new . I really don't want to talk about Dean at the moment . I want to know why you didn't meet me in the loo to talk about you and Ron at break ?"

Hermione settled on the bed, twisting her hands. " Ron nearly held my hand again today ," says Hermione, dreamily ," and I didn't ..want to spoil it. He hasn't exactly been exactly demonstrative since the Ministry and I think he might be coming round .."

" I'm not quite sure ..we were sort of flirting but then Harry said something and Ron just stopped. I don't understand it at all, Ginny "

" Who knows what goes through my brothers mind ," said Ginny," I think you should just be the one making the first move here , Hermione "

A slight frown crossed Hermione's pretty face." I thought I made it clear how I felt for Ron over the summer and he wasn't running away then "

" Just a thought that I had but dean mentioned to Seamus the other day that Cormac McLaggen has a thing for you ," brought up Ginny, making a face ," arrogant ass "

" Cormac is vile ," stated Hermione as if put upon," and maybe your right . Ron mentioned the very same thing to me the other day -as if I would fine Mclaggen at all as handsome and interesting as I do Ron. Though a tiny part of me likes to think that perhaps Ron is a bit jealous …."

" Cause Ron doesn't get jealous in the least " sniggered an amused Ginny," he still gets pissed off if someone even mentions Victor Krum"

" I don't know, Gin," worried Hermione, her tone tiny ," sometimes I think that Ron understands how I feel about him and other times its as if he hasn't a clue "

" Harry has plenty of clues about you and Ron," brought up Ginny," maybe he could help you out with Ron. Maybe its one of those guy things we just don't get .."

This time it was Hermione who fixed her with a potent stare.

" You and Harry talked about me and Ron?" inquired Hermione ,because this was new.

New and curious as well as far as Harry and Ginny went .

" Harry needed to talk ," said Ginny, simply. She refused to make it into anything more and get her hopes smashed to bits ," you are his best friend, Hermione . He and Ron are practically brothers…and well, he knows how you feel about Ron. "

" He wouldn't be Harry, if he didn't "

" I will not drag Harry into this ," decided Hermione ," he has more important things to worry about than me and Ron. Ron is a grown man and perfectly capable of deciding how he feels about me on his own " She picked idly at the pale pink duvet on her bed and spoke what had been bothering her ,out loud," Even though Lavender brown has been coming onto Ron like a leech every chance she gets …"

" My brother may be an idiot ," declared Ginny with affection," but he could never be interested ina twit like lavender brown when he cares deeply for you, Hermione "

" She is..she is very sexy ," admitted Hermione, an edge of jealousy in her voice ," and Ron's type , I mean, she's a bit vapid and blonde but sexy like Fleur '

Hermione was realistic because she knew Ron. He used to drool over Madame Rosemerta ,not to mention Fleur and both women were confident and sexy.

Which Hermione felt that she wasn't .

" You can be just as sexy, Hermione ," countered Ginny, blithely ," and Lavender isn't the girl my brother stares at when your not looking at him. I've seen it more than once -Ron looks at you as if you're the only one for him"

Hermione blushed " I must be a fool for loving such a prat like Ron "

" Your not , you're the best thing to happen to him," assured Ginny, already imagining a time when Hermione would become her sister ,' I wish I could be that lucky in love myself. I don't feel as if that is what Dean and I have at this point .."

Hermione treaded carefully here ,sensing her friend was facing her own inner turmoil.

" Harry watches you now you know, Ginny. I've seen it too "

" maybe ," surmised Ginny," and that would be a dream come true but he doesn't need for me to love him right now. Harry may have finally noticed me but with Slughorn and You Know Who, I am the last clue he need s right now and I don't expect him too . He wants my friendship and that is what he has , gladly "

" You could tell him how you feel about him" suggested Hermione, helpfully.

" Fine," countered Ginny," I will when you tell Ron that your madly in love with him"

" It isn't nearly that simple, Ginny " protested Hermione , mildly.

' Touché ," replied Ginny, solemnly ," can we just agree to leave it be for now ?"

' I suppose ," relented Hermione , quietly ," it was much easier when it was a secret '

" We're older now," declared Ginny," and its harder not wanting the snogging '

HP

Meanwhile in the boys dorm, Harry and Ron were having a strained conversation themselves regarding the girls and such things as deciphering their own feelings .

It was a bit awkward and strange but both were determined to talk .

" Dean's gotten to be a blundering cocky sod this year ," ranted a particularly peeved Ron,' snogging my sister in front of me and putting his hands all over her "

Harry lowered his book." They are dating . Ginny isn't little anymore "

That was half of the problem that she kept seeping into his dreams ; the softness of her skin, the glorious red hair, that natural energy for life that she had , not to mention how smart and funny she was. Not to mention that Ginny was down right wicked on a broom which Harry didn't know would be such a turn on.

Was there any reason why he shouldn't want to kiss her ?

Not that he could express his newfound obsession with Ginny with Ron..not if he valued his life and their friendship.

Ron had been ranting about Dean and murdering him for a good five minutes.

He tuned back in from his Ginny thoughts to catch Ron's rant.

" She's too damn popular for her own good ," grumbled Ron, tossing Harry a chocolate frog. He had overheard Dean blabbing to Seamus about the joys of snogging Ginny which had put him in the foul mood he was currently in," my little sister "

" It's not just that , Ron," added Harry, trying to help," she's ..er, attractive and smart and funny . Blokes cant help but to notice that about Ginny now, Ron"

" I suppose ," said Ron, grudegley," doesn't mean that I have to like it. She's still my sister and I'm suppose to keep my eye on protecting her "

He paused noticing that Harry had gotten quiet ." Uh, Hermione 's a bit prettier this year "

" Wouldn't you say , Harry ? Not that she was ever a troll in the first place but she's different this year …not bad different .Bloody hell, I mean, softer or something .."

Harry sat up .Now they were getting somewhere , he hoped .

" I suppose ," agreed Harry," I don't actually think of Hermione that way "

" MCLaggen wants to make time with her " growled Ron, disgusted .

" You know nothing is gonna happen with Hermione and Cormack ," reminded Harry ," Hermione loathes him. You heard her, Ron, she thinks he is a vile pig "

" She is brilliant .Mione is ," went on an uncertain Ron," figures blokes would notice her

Harry ran a hand through his hair , spiking it in frustration , at the turn of this talk.

Did the Weasley's ever do anything in a simple way ?

" Fellow would be real lucky to be with Hermione " added Harry , wishing his friend would just get on with it and be with Hermione . Ron could be thick sometimes .

" Yeah he would be….." trialed off Ron, lost in his own thoughts that featured soft brown curls and pools of deep brown eyes that he could get lost in for days .

" You and Hermione ?" questioned Harry , breaking through the tension in the room.

Unbidden an image of Ginny moving into his arms and into a deep kiss entered his mind thrilling him. This had to be some new form of torture .

Daydreaming about Ginny could only cause him nothing but trouble .

Ron's sister . Ron's sister .

How many times did he have to remind himself of the fact ?

You heard him yourself , Ron would kill him , kill you for touching her .

" Her and I, Hermione ," stumbled Ron, wanting to confide in his best mate but not wanting to be uncool about it ," I mean while we were in the hospital , we connected. She needed me, Harry " he recalled with clarity how right it felt to hold her , her curls brushing his chin, how easy it had been to comfort her and now it seemed as if that one moment had changed everything about their relationship.

He didn't know how to act around her even though she was still Hermione .She was acting a lot not like herself though and it was throwing him off with her .

Harry grinned " Remus might have mentioned that to me, Ron. Nothing wrong with it,"

" So you don't think it'd be weird ," hedged Ron," Hermione and I together ?"

" No, I don't ," informed Harry,' I think it'd probably be a good thing "

' Oh," Ron found that he didn't know what to say as one part of him always feared that Harry would hook up with Hermione . He would be worthy of his Hermione and then wanted to kick himself for that thought because when did he start thinking she was his ?

She would light into him for sure if only she knew , her chocolate brown eyes glittering with that mouth would go a mile a minute making him want to kiss her .

Ron had to stop himself . Get control of these new emotions he had for her or Harry would likely tear into him for days if he knew and it would be rightly deserved .

" You ought to lay off Ginny a bit ," offered Harry ," you want her to be happy .Don't you ?'

Could Ron tell that he was playing it ever so casual about her ? Like another brother .

" Course I do, Gin's my sister ," Ron turned to Harry. His best friend had a glint in his eye when he'd said Ginny's name that Ron didn't recall ever seeing before . Was odd," naturally I don't want her to be sad or anything . She's my little sister . Do you know something about her and Thomas your not telling me, Harry ? We could go rough hi up a bit if the git is toying with Ginny's feelings …."

" I don't think beating up Dean is going to help any, Ron " predicted Harry

" I'd feel better about it, Harry ,' told Ron," I'd feel loads better about it "

The idea held appeal to Harry as well and he decided romance was more confusing than trying to figure out what Slughorn was hiding from him about Tom Riddle .


	5. Chapter 6

The day of the Gryffindor Quidditch trials came with much nervousness and anticipation for everyone that was involved with the process. Ron, dressed in full Keeper gear, fought the wave of nauseous that was threatening to overtake him as he stood on the pitch and looked up into the stands meeting Hermione's eyes.

She smiled ever slightly, encouraging him , just for him, and waved at him.

He let out a breath and felt a bit better than before .

Hermione came out to see him because she believed in him . He could do this.

He could do it for himself and for her .

Luna and Neville sat on the bleachers together one below Hermione and cheered him on as well.

He wasn't aware of Lavender Brown keeping a keen eye on him until she screamed his name over and over in some sort of mantra.

Once the First and Second years were weeded from the pitch, Harry ran the drills that would help him to determine his team for the year. His Chasers had turned out to be the easiest to pick ; Katie Bell had proven herself just as capable as she had been last year earning her a spot on the team, Delmelza Robbins was proficient evading the Bludgers but it had been Ginny Weasley that had blown them out of the water.

Harry had seen her fly over the summer and they had certainly played quick fun pick me up games of Quidditch but out here on the pitch-no one could touch her.

She out flew them all, her red hair streaming like fire down her back, scoring 17 goals to boot.

Harry felt his chest fill with pride and desire rise within him.

Ginny took his breath away and he literally didn't want to forget this feeling .

The Beaters didn't have nearly the same grace of finesse of Fred and George but Harry felt confident that he had made the right choose with Jimmy peekes and Rich Coote.

It was the Keeper try-outs that worried Harry the most as he wanted Ron to earn the spot.

He knew how hard his friend worked and how much he wanted it but a roughhewn Cormac McLaggen also wanted the coveted goal keeper position.

McLaggen was taller than Ron and had natural grace at Quid ditch .

Poor Ron's nerves were really his only problem and Harry hoped and prayed that his best mate wouldn't let them get the best of him.

It was close as Cormac made the saves with a sort of precision skill while a green around the gills Ron was defending the goals as if his very life depended on them.

On the pitch a confident Cormac raised a fist to the air as if knowing he had the job.

Worried for Ron and knowing how much this meant to him, Hermione didn't think, simply glanced at Mclaggen and uttered soo softly ," Confounds "

Cormac stilled as if confused as Ron nailed the quaffle with his head , beating him.

Smiling slightly, Hermione sent him a gentle smile and called ," Ron!"

" Yeah Ron, good job! " called out Neville, clapping for his friend .

In the end it had been close but Ron had managed to beat Cormack , scoring 5 penalties against his 4. Cormac looked furious and muttered about 'trials rigged '

Harry couldn't have been happier with the whole day. Ron won fair and on his own.

" I want another go," ordered a very pissed Cormack ," Weasley's sister gave him an easy shot"

" No, and that was the one that he nearly missed ," declared Harry, evenly," Ron is keeper . He won it fair . You'll just have to get over it, Mclaggen "

" No doubt because he's the so called Chosen One's best mate ' grumbled Cormac, glaring dirty at the ginger haired young man and strode off the pitch.

Harry was thankful the brute hadn't made the team .

" Ron," called Hermione , running across the pitch and wrapping her arms tightly around his neck," you did just brilliantly !"

He slid an arm around her back, tenderly. Nothing could compare to a hug from Hermione and he had to stop himself from touching her wild curls.

" You saw me ," went on Ron," thought I was going to lose it for a second there . Did you notice how I nailed that shot from Dezmelda with my head ?"

A tiny smile of giddiness curled in the pit of her stomach. " Yes, you were perfect "

If only he would just kiss her, she wouldn't care who saw -she just wanted a kiss.

He was still holding her and it felt wonderful and a kiss would be so right .

" Ron, oooh ,Ron," Lavender's bubbly voice rang in his ear as she tapped him on the shoulder ," oh congratulations ! I just….I knew you would make the team. I thought my heart about stopped while you were hanging upside down on your broom. "

She fluttered her long lashes at him" You are so cool, Ron"

Ron released Hermione , squared his shoulders so he now stood taller , and plastered a cocky grin on his face as he turned to face the very pretty Lavender Brown.

" it was nothing ," said Ron, with confidence ," just a spot of luck I reckon "

" It was more than luck," Lavender insisted ," you were the Keeper out there ,Ron"

" I suppose I was …" trailed Ron, seeming to forget Hermione was there still.

" Ron " muttered a wounded Hermione , watching as he puffed up for Lavender's attention. He seemed not to hear her enthralled he was with the blonde .

" Hermione , I'm busy " dismissed Ron, not watching the hurt cross her face .

" Busy ," repeated Hermione ," your busy …with her ? Not two minutes ago, we ..we were talking , Ron "

He shook his head ," I'll catch you later in the common "

Shooting daggers at Ron and lavender , Hermione wanted to scream and call the girl a filthy name but refused to give into that. How had something so lovely just disappear ?

Lavender brown was the biggest twit in Gryffindor ! She flirted with all the boys.

How could Ron even listen to her ? Was he interested …in lavender ?

Ron laughed and flexed his muscle as lavender cooed over him.

Hermione wanted to curse the witch more than anything , a nice Full body bind might be nice . Why, oh why, was Ron still showing off for that girl ?

Deciding she was getting way to emotional , she decided that she needed to find Ginny and congratulate her on making Chaser .

Hermione turned and found that obviously Harry had found Ginny first as he was hugging her, much closer than would be considered a friendly hug .

Which was a very interesting development .

Ginny stepped back from him, her eyes twinkling. " I think you made the right choice "

' So do I," replied harry , unable to break the eye contact between them," though I did wonder if you were trying to take my job as well, Ginny. I didn't know for a minute there if I should have made you Chaser or handed over my Seeker badge to you"

Her red lips curved in a feminine smile that made his insides do a conga dance .

" Your not the only person capable of capturing the snitch, Harry "

Did he have any idea just what he was doing to her ? Surely Harry could pick up on this need that she had for him-it felt as if it was obvious .

Hell, she couldn't understand how she wasn't screaming it herself !

Dean's girlfriend .

You are supposed to be crazy over one sweet Dean Thomas .

Harry let go of her and felt oddly bereft. " You'll be the best Chaser out there "

" I will do my best " Ginny somehow managed to choke out the words to him.

" Whew hoo," Dean grasped Ginny around the waist ,lifting her up," isn't she a spitfire , Harry ! You kicked Quidditch arse, darling! My girlfriend ,the Chaser !"

Ginny laughed and accepted the happy kiss from her exuberant boyfriend .

Harry bit the inside of his lip and tasted blood. Ginny wasn't his girl.

He kept forgetting that . She had a boyfriend .

" Put me down, dean ," laughed Ginny, enjoying her boyfriends happiness over her triumph . When it mattered, Dean was understanding of her .

That was important for them.

Dean sat her back on her feet and held onto her waist . " Really great trials ,Harry "

" Thanks ," said Harry , trying not to sound so stiff as Hermione stepped forward.

" They were excellent , Harry ," smiled Hermione then to Ginny," and you did fabulous ,Ginny" She hugged her friend and felt the tension radiating around them.

Hermione glanced at Harry ,who seemed to be focusing on his tennis shoes rather than at Ginny. That spoke volumes where Harry was concerned .

They would have to talk about that later , it would seem.

" Thanks ," answered Ginny, modestly ,' where is Ron?"

Hermione stiffened " With Lavender ..she's gloating over his prowess on the pitch "

Ginny followed her friends gaze and sure enough lavender was fawning over her brother .

Ron seemed to be eating it up with a spoon. The prat .

" Go drag Ron from her , Hermione " declared Ginny," he wouldn't mind "

" I am not dragging Ron anywhere ,' says Hermione , softly ," clearly he wants to be around Lavender or he would have left on his own "

" She is a rather annoying sort of girl " offered Harry , for Hermione's sake.

" Come on, Gin," Dean took her hand into his ," you need to get changed before we celebrate ' They headed out of earshot of Harry and Hermione when Dean stopped in his tracks and dropped her hand ." Gin, wait a minute ," questioned Dean ," what exactly was that I saw back there …with you and Harry ?"

Ginny let out an exasperated sigh and wondered when her cheerful front had started to crumble apart on her . If only she had something worth fibbing to Dean about .

" A hug, Dean," stated Ginny, calmly," Harry gave me a hug "

" I've never seen Harry hug you before ," queried a skeptical Dean ," is that all it was ?"

" Jealousy isn't becoming on you, Dean ,' Ginny patted his cheek ," Merlin, I have known Harry since I was ten years old. All you saw back there was a friendly hug "

" Right .I reckon you'd be about like a sister to him and all " decided Dean

Ginny's face fell because it was so apt that she wanted to weep ! Ron's little sister .

She was back to wanting something so strongly to happen between herself and Harry now that she was imagining it there . She defiantly wasn't in the right mind to be giving Hermione or Luna any advice when she was so desperately failing her own.

" Exactly ," Ginny took his arm," and I could use another celebratory kiss. Don't you think?"

He ducked to kiss her " You go get changed and I'll scout a new snog location for us "

Harry turned and looked curiously at his friend, noticing the worried look in her brown eyes. " Hermione , you alright ?"

Hermione managed a small smile ." Of course I am," says Hermione ," Ron and Ginny both made the team. You did excellent as captain, Harry "

He rubbed his scar and motioned at Ron waving at Lavender ." I meant with Ron "

" I don't know what you mean, Harry ," stated Hermione, primly ," Ron is Ron . "

Harry laughed , nervously ." So you don't care he's flirting with Lavender ?"

" I ..didn't say that, Harry " muttered Hermione," come on, let's go inside "

Harry winced recognizing Hermione 's tone and had a really bad feeling to accompany the pain burning behind his scar. Lovely , just lovely .

" Harry, Hermione ," Ron jogged over to catch up with them," wait up "

" Good job, Ron ," replied Harry ," I knew you could do it. Congratulations "

" Thanks, Harry ," admitted Ron with a wide smile," felt pretty good ..you know, once I got pass the nerves and all " He draped an arm casually around Hermione's shoulder and felt her stiffen at his touch " You thought I was brilliant , Hermione '

Hermione opened her mouth in shock and let out a stunned laugh" Gah! I don't think so, Ron," sputtered Hermione ," maybe you should go brag some more to Lavender . "

Ron stopped and sent a helpless look to Harry , who was trying to avoid him.

" You gone crazy, Mione ! I was just talking to the girl..she came to see me "

" I was right there , Ron ! " Stamping her foot in anger and jealousy , Hermione glowered at him," you chucked me to…go listen to her prattle and coo over you ! "

" Hermione …" Ron reached for her hand ," she was just being nice '

" Oooh lavender brown wasn't being nice ," Hermione whirled on him, " are you that blind, Ron! Oh never mind , I don't know why I even thought ..never mind "

She looked at Harry who was packing Quidditch equipment , back at Ron, and then stomped back up to the castle, leaving the two young men alone .

" Hermione ! Bloody hell, Hermione , could you at least tell me how I made you mad ?"

Harry clamped a hand on his shoulder " I cant say for sure but I think lavender is the problem "

" That's insane , Harry ," shrugged off Ron, considering the possibility that Hermione might have been jealous but dismissed it ," Mione goes mental every once in awhile is all"

" If you say so but I'd be right on this " declared Harry, " if I were to bet "


	6. Chapter 7

Disclaimer : I sadly still do not own Harry Potter that belongs to JKR's brilliance .

Harry wasn't sure what would come from Hermione being mad at Ron but it wasn't until their second day of practice that found Ron approaching Hermione before she joined Neville and Luna in the stands . He was watching Ginny chat with Katie bell but one eye was on his best friends and he wished he had a pair of Extendable Ears to hear them.

" Hermione , wait ," Ron tossed his gloves on the ground and caught her arm," I'm ..that is ..I'm really glad you came out to watch me practice "

Hermione 's lips lifted in a slight smile." Of course I came to watch you, Ron , though frankly I didn't know if you would care if I was in the stand s or not "

He smiled charmingly at her and she felt her heart flutter in her chest .

" I look for you, Hermione …" admitted Ron," I like having you here ..for me "

" Really " sighed Hermione , leaning over to kiss his cheek," good luck, Ron "

" Hermione ," called Neville," Luna and I will go grab some seats "

' I should go join them before Harry calls you out to the pitch " says Hermione , smiling and with a backwards glance, rejoined her friends who waited for her .

" I thought you weren't speaking to him " brought up Neville, curiously ," you didn't say two words to him yesterday in the common, Hermione "

" Yesterday was different, Neville and I was angry at him " informed Hermione

Luna took Neville's hand into hers , swinging it , lightly. " I think Ron has made up for whatever it was that had caused problems , Neville . Hermione 's aura is as lovely as if the Wrackspurts are in her brain but I know it must be something different "

Neville laughed ," If you say so, Luna . I think its weird is all "

" I am still right here , you two," says Hermione , primly ," and its nothing at all "

On the pitch, Ron was still gazing at Hermione when Harry approached him with a grin.

" You made up with Hermione "

" It wasn't anything she was really mad about ," dismissed Ron," told her I was glad she was watching me practice ..cause she's my best friend and I ..want her here "

Harry clapped a hand on his back," You want Hermione "

Ron made a face at his best mate ," I ..didn't say any such rubbish .Shut up, Harry '

" Ron, oh Ron,' called out lavender , waving at him as she and Parvarti Patil made their way towards the stands .It was just a practice game but it brought out a lot of students and friends eager to root for their friends and get out of studying by hanging outside on the pitch," hello . I just had to come and watch you! I am soooo excited to see you !"

" Uh thanks " managed Ron, noticing the form fitting purple jumper and skirt .

There was no denying that lavender wasn't simply one of the best looking girls in Hogwarts and she was so close to the pitch he could almost smell her perfume .

It was a bit overpowering really …not subtle like what Hermione wore .

" Your fan club showed up " Harry couldn't resist teasing as he collected the quaffles .

" It's just Lavender " commented Ron ," she is just a girl, Harry . I don't have the bloody fan club that would be you, the I'm the Chosen One "

" Shut up, Ron," retorted Harry ," come on, let's get started "

Quidditch practice had taken a far different turn than Harry could have expected .

Suddenly Ron's nerves and sudden mood swing took over while he was on the pitch and if Harry didn't know better it seemed to him as if the demons his friend was fighting came in the form of the two girls watching from the sidelines .

Hermione ,along with Luna and Neville, was simply cheering and urging Ron on while lavender was making quite a spectacle of herself with her shrill tittering and exclamations regarding Ron. He was pretty sure that the girl was trying to get Ron to notice her .

Harry wished that she would grow bored and leave because even though Hermione wasn't doing anything beyond cheering , he thought that Ron might either vomit on the spot or kill his Beater from all the attention .

It looked like it was up to him to fix it .

He didn't have time to stop and compliment Ginny as she had taken off back inside once practice was over . Harry missed listening to her but he needed to talk with Ron.

They were the last to change from their gear into regular clothes of jeans and tee shirts when Harry decided to broach the subject once they started up to the second floor.

" Ron," brought up Harry ," we need to talk about what happened out there "

" I played like a sack of dragon dung ," said Ron in a hollow voice ," sack me, Harry '

" I am not going to sack you,Ron," corrected Harry ," you're the best Keeper that tried out but your only problem, mate, is your nerves . "

" You need to get a better handle on them . "

" I know," admitted Ron," yeah, they were pretty bad . Have you ..did you notice that it wasn't just Hermione that came out to watch me practice , Harry "

" I don't believe you were nervous because of Luna and Neville ' said Harry , trying to lighten the mood up a bit . He didn't know what was coming next from Ron.

" Lavender Brown really likes watching me…play " brought up Ron," acts like , I don't know, is adoring the right word ? Makes me a bit nervous, I reckon "

" Lavender makes you nervous but Hermione doesn't " asked a curious Harry

Ron laughed , a strangled combination of humor and something else he couldn't quite figure.

" Funny, Harry ," replied Ron," Hermione is just ..you know, Mione . I'm not ..you know , nervous or anything with her "

Harry had his own doubts on this was wasn't about to vocalize it until Ron admitted it.

" Hermione wants you to do well," encouraged Harry ," and so do I. I know that it was only our first practice but if Lavender distracts you tell her that you don't want her out there . I cant have you distracted out there , Ron. "

" You'll get killed and your parents will never forgive me "

" They would get over it ," told a sheepish Ron," Mum adores you, Harry "

" I'm serious , Ron," reminded Harry ," Ginny almost maimed you earlier "

" Don't remind me its humiliating ," groaned Ron," about Lavender , might hurt her feelings if I told her I didn't want her out on the pitch. She might think that I don't like her or anything …."

He was uncomfortable talking about both girls with Harry like this .

Lavender was quite popular , clearly she enjoyed every good save that he had somehow managed and thought he was cool. It was something new for him.

An admirer of his own, not Harry's , but his admirer.

Harry opened the tapestry so that they could take their usual shortcut up to the Gryffindor tower when they found Ginny and Dean locked in each others arms and kissing fiercely .

Something savage and furious broke within Harry raging to get out.

He had the undeniable urge to jinx Dean into jelly .

It wasn't natural . He stopped worrying that Dean was Ginny's boyfriend ; Harry just wanted to pull him away from kissing her back. He wanted to take her in his own arms and plunder those red lips of hers ….

In the madness of his newfound thoughts , Harry came out of it as Ron growled ," O'I, get your bloody hands off of my sister !"

Dean and Ginny broke apart, startled by the interruption.

" What ?' demanded Ginny, hands flying to her hips as she glared rather viciously at Ron.

How dare he ! The stupid git - didn't he ever listen to her ?

She wasn't in need of his so called protecting !

" I don't want to find my sister snogging blokes in public " stated Ron

" It was deserted until you came barging in " tossed in Ginny, coolly .

Dean flushed , embarrassed ." Ron, I don't want to fight with you "

" Fine it will make it easier to beat you up, Thomas " tossed out Ron, angrily .

" Ron, you don't actually mean that .." trailed Harry , holding his tongue before he found himself offering to help his best mate beat their dorm mate until he was a bloody mess.

His fists clenched tightly at his side as he avoided Ginny's eyes so she wouldn't see .

" Let's just go back to the common " urged Dean, desperately .

Ginny felt her temper build within her and she couldn't control it .

" You go o, Dean . I want a word with my dear brother "

Harry had never seen his fellow Gryffindor move that fast as he sprinted away.

Ginny rounded furiously on her brother and Harry realized he'd never seen the anger mingled with the hurt before appear on Ginny's very expressive face .

" Right , let's get this straight once and for all," shouting Ginny, jabbing a finger at Ron's chest ," it is none of your business who I go out with or what I do with them, Ron!"

She had told the whole lot of them ove rthe summer when Fred and George had tried to pry into her personal business but apparently it hadn't taken with any of them.

She was nearly a grown woman ! She wasn't a child any longer !

Merlin, she was so sick of being coddled by her brothers !

" What you do ..with them, Gin," repeated Ron, setting his jaw. He was prepared to fight with her ," yeah ,it is ,because I don't want …do you think I want people saying that my sister ..my sister is a …" He stopped ,unable to say the word .

Not to his baby sister , Ginny was still his little sister.

He had her Michael Corner last year spouting rubbish about Ginny after they had split up and he had to defend her honor . Gin was a good girl -not some scarlet woman.

Ginny flinched ,unable to prevent the punch of hurt that hit her squarely in the gut.

Her brother thought she was a tart , a scarlet woman , and it ate through her nerves and the affection she always had for her big brother.

Yes, she had boyfriends before but she had never done anything beyond snogging .

How could she when she was still in love with Harry ?

Not that she would have even if she'd been more involved with the bloke .

Not that she could even begin to make her brother understand that !

Something snapped inside of Ginny and she couldn't think at all.

Harry seemed to sense it and cut in to try to stop whatever was coming .

" He doesn't mean anything , Ginny," jumped in Harry," just drop it "

Ginny whirled around to gape at him. Naturally Harry had to defend Ron!

He was as much a stupid git as her brother !

How could she fancy herself in love with such a complete idiot ?

" Oh ,yes, he does ," flared Ginny," just because he's never snogged anyone in his life "

Ron's face flamed at her accusation." Shut your mouth !"

It was Weasley against Weasley and it wasn't going to be a pretty sight .

" No, I will not," declared Ginny through a barely recognizable haze of frazzled emotions . She grasped for any and all ammunition that she could use against him," I've seen you with Phlegm, hoping she'll kiss your cheek every time you see her . Pretty pathetic since she is going to be Bill's wife "

Ron squared his shoulders " Just shut up "

" Maybe if you went out and got a lot of snogging done yourself ," yelled Ginny," you wouldn't mind so much that everyone else does it !"

Ron yanked out his wand, fighting fire with fire ." That's enough, Ginny"

" I haven't even started, you sod ! " lashed out a furious Ginny

Harry jumped between Ginny with his arms outstretched to protect her .

" Ron," called out Harry, trying to defuse the situation," this is getting out of hand !"

Ron didn't seem to be listening to him. " You don't know what you're talking about, sis ," threw out Ron," just because I don't do it in public …"

Ginny let out a derisive snort as if she believed a word from his mouth . Did he simply think she was stupid ?

Merlin, she knew that he hadn't even kissed Hermione yet and who else would the git want to snog ?

" been kissing Pig widgeon ,have you ?" remarked Ginny, snippily.

Orange sparks flew under Harry's arms ; nearly missing Ginny by mere inches.

Harry reacted purely on instinct pushing Ron against the wall to knock some sense back into him.

" Bloody hell , Harry ! What the hell are you doing ?"

" Don't be stupid " warned Harry , watching Ron's face transform into a scowl.

Tears flowed freely down Ginny's face but she wasn't finished with her mad . All of her strength and energy evaporated into this pivotal fight with her brother , hurt and her own insecurities overriding everything within her.

Her brother would not be having the last word here .

Ginny was beyond thinking clearly , she simply reacted ."Harry snogged Cho Chang !" lashed out Ginny, grasping at whatever she could use ," Hermione snogged Victor Krum!'

She never noticed the color drain from Ron's face or she would have stopped before hurtling one final insult at him," It's only you who acts like its something disgusting ! You've got about as much experience as a twelve year old, Ron!"

With one tearful look at her brother and Harry , Ginny ran as far away from the both of them until she couldn't go any further , sinking finally to the cold ground near the empty courtyard and let the tears come as they may.

She hadn't that many boyfriends -just Michael Corner last year and now Dean .

She wasn't some tart !

Ron knew her better than that and yet he still had said it !

To make it worse he had announced it in front of Harry ! Merlin, Harry must be thinking that she was such a baby now !

" Ginny," Luna placed a hand on her shoulder ," I thought that was you "

She sank down gracefully beside her friend " Why are you crying ? Are you hurt ?"

Ginny looked up into the concerned silvery blue eyes of her friend and wiped her face on her sleeve. " No," confessed Ginny, mortified that she had so easily given into tears . She wasn't generally given to emotional tears . It wasn't her and actually Hermione tended to do that ," Merlin, Luna , please don't tell anyone you saw me crying "

Luna patted her arm, comforting ." it's not a shame to cry. It's actually quite cleansing "

" It's mortifying ," explained Ginny, trying to compose herself ," I had an awful fight with my thick headed brother ..he and Harry interrupted me and Dean snogging . I..well, it wasn't a bit pretty , in the least "

" Was he being hurtful ?" questioned Luna ," I noticed last year though I do like Ron, he has a tendency to be a bit hurtful himself .."

" He was being overprotective ," shot back Ginny,' protect little baby Ginny from her boyfriend because she most certainly will be taken advantage of " she sent a withering look back towards the castle ," As if I haven't the brains or the know-how to take care of any bloke that thinks he can get fresh with me . I'm not 2 or 10 anymore "

She let out a disheartened sigh," You'd think the idiot would realize that himself "

" So you told Ron all of this ?" urged Luna , handing her a white handkerchief.

" I tried to, Luna ," went on Ginny, the remorse of her words sinking in," Dean and I were just having a bit of kissing. ," He is my boyfriend. Not like Ron doesn't know this but ..but I lost control, Luna .."

" You hexed him with your Bat Bogey curse " guessed Luna, knowing her friends predilection with that particular curse and boys. It was legendary at school.

" Oh no I didn't even think about that ," continued a humiliated Ginny," Harry saw the whole thing . I was really mean to Ron..I could have just called him a prat or dragon dung and be done with it. Nope I let my temper get the best of me and insulted his manhood "

Luna's eyes widened in surprise ." I don't know if I need to hear the rest "

" It wasn't anything that bad but Ron will want to murder me ," explained Ginny," and Harry is bound to lose all respect for me now after I lost control like I did "

" Ron and you are quite close ," plunged in Luna ," and I am sure it wasn't as terrible as it seems to you in the heat of the fighting . Ron has probably gotten over it by now and you'll both be fine and back to normal in the morning "

" What about Harry ?" questioned Ginny, helplessly .

" Oh, I am sure you have nothing to fret over with Harry " assured a positive Luna

Only Ron didn't forget about it as he and Harry numbly made it back to the Gryffindor tower, each lost in their own thoughts . The incident with Ginny replaying over and over in Ron's mind had switched his foul mood to dangerously aggressive .

He couldn't get passed her words'**Hermione had kissed Krum'**

**R**on had known the bloke had wanted her . Krum had practically singed Hermione as his when the ruddy pumpkinhead had taken her to the Yule Ball but he ..he had never wanted to believe that she had actually kissed the sod back.

**Harry **stomped in behind Ron, feeling very out of sorts himself. His intense rage at witnessing Ginny kissing Dean had set off his already churning feelings about her into a tailspin as if a Hungarian Horntail was breathing fire in his gullet.

God , he didn't want Ginny kissing anyone but him! Imagined Ginny wrapping her slim arms around his neck and them finding their own private haven where there was no Ron, no Voldermort, no Dean Thomas, and above all, no interruptions.

Ron will murder me !

Then a silent' I don't care' echoed back but he did care and therein was the problem.

Wanting to be with his best mates sister and acting on it were two different matters.

Was this what Hermione was feeling about Ron?

If it was then he could understand completely how she felt and it was dreadful.

" Do you..you think Hermione really did kiss Krum?" demanded Ron, suddenly .

Harry froze as if petrified and wished someone would because it was easier than having to face Ron. He knew the answer , of course, because Hermione had confided in him before the 2nd task that year but it was a subject he had never once considered telling Ron.

Nothing good could come from this truth and it might only make it worse .

" That was ages ago," dismissed Harry , lightly ," I don't know "

He hated lying to his best friend but felt it was justified for both Ron and Hermione's sake. Things were just really starting with them and he wasn't going to step in the way.

" Krum was into her " growled Ron, scaring a First year from the armchair.

" Yeah but I don't think Hermione was that interested back " fibbed Harry ," Ginny just said that to rattle you. Which is working , by the way "

" I could find plenty of girls who want to snog me, Harry ," blustered Ron," even if I'm not the Chosen One , like you. I'm just ..picky on who I want is all…."

" Sure you can, Ron " agreed Harry ,cursing inwardly and feared that Ginny's outburst just might be the catalyst to fire up Ron's ire and insecurities .

He would turn out to be right in worrying about just that .

The next morning at breakfast in the Great Hall, Dean was doing his best to mend his fence with Ron over the misunderstanding . He had been grateful he wasn't killed in his sleep and had told Seamus and Neville that first thing he would be doing come morning would deal with Ron man to man over Ginny.

" Ron, listen," drawled Dean , apology in his voice ," I didn't want you to see that yesterday . I know how sensitive you are about your family and honestly , Gin and I were just having a snog. I happen to think that she is a great girl and you ought to know that I would never do anything that would disrespect her "

Ron glowered at him and jabbed furiously at the sausage on his plate. " Gin's a big girl ," snarled Ron," she can do what she wants .For the record , if I ever hear you talking rubbish about my sister , Thomas, I'll have no problem murdering you"

" Real clear on that ' understood Dean and went back to his own breakfast.

Ron felt humiliated as his sister had clearly lined up what she considered the sole reason that he was the sidekick, the loser. Harry had gotten the girl(Cho) and Ron had zilch.

He had felt that he was really starting to prove himself this year ; making prefect, then Keeper, and now Ron questioned it all. What girl would ever really want to be with him when there was Harry Potter and Victor Krum to compete with ?

Ginny slid in beside her brother , prepared to swallow her pride . " Ron," brought up Ginny in undertones as if to keep it between them," we need to talk about yesterday"

" No," snapped Ron," I get it ,Sis. Snog whoever the hell you want .I don't care "

Ginny bit her lip, recognizing his wounded pride . " I am sorry ," apologized Ginny, contrite ," I didn't mean what I said .You hurt my feelings , I wanted to get even "

" Good job at that ," said Ron," and ..I know ..I mean your not a scarlet woman, Ginny."

" Thanks for that ," brought up Ginny,' though I don't understand at all. You didn't act this way when I was seeing Michael last term and we snogged a bit too , you know "

" We had Umbridge to deal with and Harry was all angry ," stated Ron," besides Fred, George, and I took care of Corner after he started talking rubbish . We just didn't bother telling you about it .."

" Oh " Ginny didn't know what else to say . She 'd have to find out exactly what they had done out of her own curiosity but felt like at least she and Ron had moved past things.

" Good morning ," greeted Hermione , slipping in on the other side of Ron and giving him a warm smile . She put her hand over his ," I didn't see you after practice ….did it not go well? " She frowned , wondering why he wouldn't meet her eyes," Ron, is something the matter ?'

He jerked his hand from hers and gave her a hard look. " No, nothing is the matter," snapped Ron," and I don't need this from you either , Hermione "

Hurt shadowed Hermione 's eyes as she tried to comprehend what he was saying to her .

" Ron," says Hermione ," I don't understand "

" It doesn't matter anymore " was all Ron said as he pushed away from the table.

" Ron !" murmured a baffled Hermione but he never turned back around .

Ron was halfway down the aisle when Lavender caught up with him. " wait, Ron," trilled Lavender, grasping his arm," I wondered if you might help me with my Divination ?"

Sending an angry look at Hermione , Ron turned his most charming grin on the attractive Gryffindor and took her arm in what he considered a gallant gesture .

" Sure , " offered Ron," why don't we go to the library since its quiet there. I'd be happy to help you , Lavender "

" You are just the sweetest ever, Ron" gushed Lavender as they left the hall together .

" I think I'm going to be ill," surmised Hermione , turning to confront Harry and Ginny for some answers," what did I do? I don't understand this, not that Ron makes much sense in the first place but this makes no sense , at all "

Harry considered beating his head against the tabletop but figured he'd only wind up with a headache or another trip to visit Madame Pomfrey . He could do without either .

He caught Ginny's beautiful eyes with his,pleading that she could fix it .

It was exactly what he had feared would happen . He could barely deal with the fact that he was becoming more and more fascinated by Ginny everyday ,let alone more things to mess up Ron and Hermione's relationship. It was fragile at best .

How many freckles were across Ginny's cute nose ? He wondered how close he would have to be to find this out and figured really close would be best .

Hermione knocked him back into the reality of the moment ." Will one of you please tell me what I missed ," demanded Hermione ," why is Ron acting like this ?"

Harry floundered knowing that Ron was having a delayed bout of jealousy over Krum but afraid to confess it to her. Obviously she had only mentioned Krum to him and Ginny.

" It wasn't actually you, Hermione ," started Harry in a roundabout way," not really . I mean, you know it doesn't take much to get Ron worked up" he implored Ginny, hopefully ," Uh, I think it might be for the best if Ginny explained it to you "

Ginny was amused by the terror facing Harry . He had fought dragons ,Death Eaters, and even Voldermort but he was terrified of hurting his best friends feelings .

Could he be any kinder a man ?

Harry reached out, patted Hermione's hand, rose, and scurried out of the hall as well.

" So Harry wont tell me ," murmured Hermione , quietly ," why do I get the feeling I am not going to like this at all, Ginny?"

" You wont ," said Ginny, closing her eyes and gathering up her courage to explain exactly what had occurred on the second floor landing that culminated in Ron being a prat. Hermione listened with rapt attention ,paying attention to each word uttered .

" I didn't mean to tell him that you snogged Victor ," explained Ginny," and I swear I didn't go into detail or anything . He hurt my feelings and I wanted to get back at him.

I didn't even think about how Ron would take it , Hermione "

" Ron is mad at me ," pondered Hermione , trying to make some sense out of it all," because I kissed Victor two years ago. He barely knew I was a girl then, Gin"

" He knew enough to be pissed that you went with Krum " reminded Ginny

" Ron is being ridiculous then," says Hermione ," it has nothing to do with us now "

" Ron, remember ," said Ginny, gently ," thick as a dung beetle sometimes "

" I'll just have to talk to him," says Hermione ," surely he'll see how silly it is . Ron and I are just starting to get closer ….he has to know that " Then she realized how strange Harry had acted and didn't think it had much to do with getting to know professor Slughorn and more with Ginny. She met her gaze, steadily ," Why is Harry acting odd then?"

" It's Harry ," responded Ginny," I am sure it has to do with that silly book of his "

Ginny had noticed the absentness of his gestures and found them just as curious . However he hadn't spoke of her childish outburst and she hoped that she hadn't damaged their friendship in the process. It didn't seem likely ,considering .

" Perhaps ….." trailed Hermione , lost in her private thoughts of Ron.

'

" Gin," Dean called out to her ," why are you way down there ?"

" I'm talking with Hermione , Dean " retorte4d an irritated Ginny, wondering idly if Harry hadn't run from Hermione but from her as well.

Most unlikely , indeed .


	7. Chapter 8

The first official match between Gryffindor and Slytherin could only be described as brutal. The rivalry of the two House teams had never been more vicious as it was out on the Quidditch pitch. Harry's plan, letting Ron think he had slipped some liquid luck into his morning pumpkin juice, had done wonders for his best mates nerves.

Ron couldn't be stopped ; he played as if he was on fire, making glorious save after save, playing his best .

The rest of the team played with the same intensity and it had proven to be a truly spectacular first win for Gryffindor!

Ron was the man of the hour at the party in the Gryffindor common, reveling in the glory of his classmates and friends chanting ' Weasley is our King " over and over when Lavender Brown finally made her move. The blonde threw her arms around Ron's neck and proceeded to kiss him senseless in front of everyone .

Hermione's heart dropped to her feet , tears springing from her eyes, and without a word to Harry , she turned and ran out of the portrait hole.

" Stop clapping Harry ' this came from Luna ," Hermione has left quite hurt "

" Hermione , wait ' called a concerned Harry but he didn't see her brown hair anywhere .

" Luna and I just saw Hermione leave, Harry ," told Neville, who was holding Luna 's hand ," pretty sure that she was crying "

" She was crying " agreed Luna , shaking her head at Ron and lavender .

Harry turned back and noticed that Ron was still busy snogging Lavender and it didn't look like he was coming up for air anytime soon. He deliberated on what action to take and figured that Hermione needed him more .

" The filthy hypocrite ," remarked Ginny as she and Dean joined the party. It was impossible to miss her brother making out with Lavender when they were the center of attention," Harry, please tell me Hermione hasn't seen them ?"

" That would be a lie , I'm afraid " answered Luna , instead.

Ginny implored Harry " Bloody hell, Harry , Hermione saw this rubbish ?"

" Yes," answered Harry ," they weren't kissing at first. Hermione took off a minute ago. I was actually just going to try and find her …."

" That is a good idea " Ginny observed her brother who was still entangled with lavender .Dean let out a wolf whistle at the newest couple snogging, Ron and lavender .

" Way to go, Weasley !"

Ginny turned and shot her boyfriend a filthy look. " Your not helping, Dean "

" Just having a bit of fun is all, Ginny " answered Dean with a grin.

Ginny ignored him and turned back to Harry ." I don't think that Ron is going to go after her," replied Ginny," the git. You should go find her, Harry "

Harry nodded and went off in hopes of finding his heartbroken best friend , leaving a determined Ginny to take care of Ron.

" I don't understand how he can kiss another girl when he likes Hermione ," commented Neville," I wouldn't be able to do that. It wouldn't be right "

" Aren't you the sweetest, Neville Long bottom " Luna kissed him,lightly .

" Just telling the truth …." Neville colored but was pleased . He and Luna had only been dating each other for a little while but they were going quite well.

" Get a room, Weasley " shouted Seamus with a raucous laugh .

Lavender brown was gorgeous and there wasn't a bloke at Hogwarts that hadn't wondered about snogging the curvy blonde !

" As long as its not our dorm ," added Dean ," broom closet is better "

This infuriated Ginny to no end that her boyfriend could go from sweet to a macho male in a millisecond.

" Do not encourage him, Dean," snapped a peeved Ginny as Dean slipped his hands around her waist, spurned on by the romance happening in the room.

" Oh come on, Gin, " Dean nipped at her lips ," Lavender's been after him since the beginning of term. We have all seen her , the girl is obvious about Ron"

" Obvious ?" Ginny laughed, dryly.

He thought that it was simple ? Men never recognized a manipulative cow when she strutted her chest and purred like a damn cat lapping up milk!

Only her idiot brother would attract the bint !

" Lavender is a tart " declared Ginny, watching the snogfest continue .

" Didn't you tell me that you and Ron were keeping out of each others business " hedged Dean, remembering the conversation quite well. Ginny had been upset after her fight with Ron, she had cried a lot, and he had to be the comforting boyfriend .

Plus he thought it was crucial since he didn't want Ron as an enemy .

" This is complelty different ," Ginny tugged on the lapel of his shirt ," this is stupid "

And partly my fault but she didn't voice that thought out loud. Ron wouldn't be out to prove himself if she hadn't made such a big deal about it earlier .

Of course who knew Ron would actually go for Lavender in the first place ?"

" Ginny," Dean allowed her to lead him towards the front of the room. He recognized his girlfriends determination for what it was and went with following her as it would likely suit him better than not. " Can I at least ask what we're doing ?"

" We're helping " announced Ginny, watching the couple with a keen eye.

Lavender giggled into the crook of Ron's arm then changed the angle of the kiss, devouring his mouth with hers. " Oh Ron," sighed Lavender , grasping his strong bicep.

" Lavender " managed Ron, between kisses unable to think.

How could he when Lavender was snogging him..she wanted him.

Parvarti Patil rolled her eyes and cocked her head in their direction. " Ooooooh this is just too much ! Even for me to stomach and im a romantic "

Seamus gawwaffed at her " I don't think there's any such romance there, Parvarti "

She ignored him and went back to reading her Witches Weekly . " Sod "

" Poor Hermione " commiserated Neville with a nod towards Ron,' somehow this party isn't as fun as I thought it would be considering that we won "

" I have noticed that Ron can be mean sometimes ," noticed Luna, squeezing Neville's hand ," but I don't know if he knows that he is being mean "

" Oh he knows he is being something alright …." muttered Ginny , softly .

She slid one arm around Dean's neck and considered which tact to use on her brother .

The obvious was generally the best where Ron was concerned except when it involved Hermione . It was like he had blinders on or something .

" Oh, I see how it is now ," brought up Ginny, loudly to ensure that Ron heard as well as most of the people at the party ," the common is the new snogging room. I guess Dean and I never got that owl and I certainly would have never guessed "

She paused for affect , smiling serenely at her boyfriend though her words were aimed at her brother , clearly ." It isn't the most private of spots but maybe I should follow your lead "

" Uh oh ' muttered Neville, glancing warily at Ginny then at Ron.

Ron moved the cloud of lavender's blonde hair and noted that Dean was practically sucking Ginny's face. Even after all that fighting they had done and now this ?

" Hey," Ron found his voice ," we talked about this, Ginny!"

His blue eyes flashed wildly at Dean " Thomas, keep your filthy hands where I can see them-that is my sister you're pawing and groping !"

Dean lifted his hands and prayed that her idea wouldn't land him in a fight .

Ginny may not believe that her brother would fight a bloke defending her honor but she was wrong . Ron had threatened a lot of blokes since Ginny had gotten older and more attractive and he wasn't wanting to be on the receiving end of a punch in the face.

Ron was generally a decent bloke but he had the same Weasley temper as his sister .

" Just a kiss , Ron " swore Dean," I wouldn't grope Gin"

Ginny lifted her gaze , her toffee colored eyes locking with her brothers cool blue , furiously ." Leave him alone ,Ron, and I don't care to see you groping Lavender either !'

A generous pout formed on Lavender's lips as she took offense ." It isn't like that !"

" That's right " agreed Ron, glancing idly for Harry to help him out and back him up.

Funny, he thought Harry had come into the party earlier and where was Hermione ?

He didn't want to think about if they were off somewhere ..together .

Ginny turned and nuzzled against her boyfriends jaw , knowing it would piss Ron off.

She couldn't have been more right as Ron was seeing red .

" I am not going to watch this, Ginny," Ron grabbed Lavender's hand ," come on, Lavender , let's get out of here and go somewhere more private "

" Oh I do want to be alone with you , darling " cooed Lavender, sending him a sultry look.

He cast his sister a dirty look and pulled Lavender away from the party and away from the common. This was new and exciting and she wanted to be alone with him , too.

Ginny let out a curse , let go of her boyfriend, watching as Ron dragged the blonde away, hoping that once he was away from the crowd some of his sense would come back to him, he'd clear his head , and worry about why he hadn't seen Hermione since after the match. All of the praise and excess cheering had gone to her brothers head ; otherwise the prat would have never chosen Lavender Brown over Hermione .

Or had her accusations pushed Ron over the edge ?

Dean gripped her shoulders and peered into her pretty face that was scrunched up in worry.

" Hey," asked a concerned Dean," where'd you go, Gin?"

The niggling guilt bothered her and her boyfriend was so sweet to be worried about her.

" I am at fault here, Dean," expressed Ginny," I provoked Ron to do this "

" It's your fault that your brother fancies Lavender ," chuckled Dean," that's nuts , Ginny"

Ginny shook off his hands, not wanting his touch right now .

Didn't he understand that she was trying to be serious right now and talk to him ?

" I am serious, Dean," Ginny tried to make him see why it bothered her so much," Hermione is my best friend . This will devastate her "

" It's not your problem," dismissed Dean, nonchalantly ," Hermione is a big girl. Hell, Mclaggen is interested in her . She doesn't need Ron. It will all work out, you'll see "

" I cannot believe that you would say that ," muttered Ginny, unbelievably as this was a side of her boyfriend that she had never seen before ," how can you say that you're their friend and then spout off rubbish like that ? Merlin, you took a stance with Harry and joined the D.A. and now you don't even care that two of your friends ..you would honestly shrug off Hermione and in conscience want her to date a ruddy arse like Cormac'

" Wait ," protested Dean," look, honey, all I am saying is that its not our business. Sure, Ron and Hermione spark off each other when their in a room together but its none of my business if either of them want to hook up with someone else. "

" Hermione has been cool about us dating ..look, Gin, this is supposed to be a party. I ..I don't want to fight with you over this .."

" Right then " muttered Ginny, lost in her own thoughts .

" Dean," called out Seamus," how about some fire whiskey ?"

Dean looked at Ginny, hesitated but then figured the snogging was over for the night .

" Can we at least talk later ?" asked Dean, pleading with her .

Ginny managed a wry smile and nodded .He left to join Seamus and some of the other blokes by the fire whiskey someone had smuggled in from Hogs Meade .

Should she hunt up Hermione or believe that Harry would take care of her ?

After all Harry knew how Hermione felt about Ron and she trusted that he would take care of her , whatever happened . She wanted to have some faith in Ron but something in her gut told her that he wasn't thinking with the right body part, at the moment.

Least not with his heart .

" Don't look so sad , Ginny ' Luna and Neville caught up with her near the alcove," I thought you played splendidly out there . It amazes me how fast you can fly "

" Thanks, Luna ," sighed Ginny, hoping her insightful friend could help soothe her fears," you two caught the show ?"

" If by show you mean Ron with Lavender ," commented Neville," it was little hard to miss. I still don't understand Ron though ..I mean, Lavender is a pretty girl and all but he talks about Hermione all the time "

' Oh you mean Ron and lavender ," mused Luna ," I rather thought they reminded me of an octopus wrapped around each other like that. Lavender isn't a very bright girl. I think that Ron must have hit the Bludger too hard and gotten confused on whom he likes "

Ginny bit her lip. " Maybe but I bruised Ron's ego," admitted Ginny," what if I mucked this up for Ron and Hermione too?"

" You never made Ron kiss Lavender ," said Luna in her calming manner," I quite agree with Dean about that. Hurting your brothers feelings doesn't make any of his own actions with the girls your fault, Ginny"

' Then why do I feel that it is my fault ?" asked Ginny in a small voice.

" Because you're a good person," declared Neville," and they are your friends "

Harry wasn't sure where Hermione might have headed in her upset state but he didn't figure that she would go far. He heard quiet sobbing , recognized that it was his best friend and followed the sounds to the foot of the stairs where Hermione was crying , yellow twittering birds circling her head .

" Nice birds " commented Harry , sitting down on the steps next to her.

She looked up and anguish and hurt was written all over her face ." Just…practicing "

Harry was amazed that she was able to perform such a intricate spell when she was this upset but he didn't figure she would want to discuss spells with him right now.

" Hermione …." started Harry , watching as she wrapped her arms around her legs.

She sniffled and looked up to meet his eyes, questioning ." Is this how it feels for you, Harry when you , see Dean with Ginny ?"

How did she know about his feelings for Ginny? He hadn't told a soul , no one knew.

Harry opened his mouth to protest then closed it ,unsure of what she would think.

" I know ..I ..I've seen how you look at her , " says Hermione , tears falling unbidden down her cheeks," I'm your best friend, Harry . I know …."

He could only nod and slipped an arm around her shoulder to comfort her .

" Hermione , I don't think Ron knows how you feel about him…."

She swiped at her eyes and her lips thinned." How can he not know , Harry ?"

He patted her back and tried to find the words that could explain Ron's behavior .

" You know he freaked out ..overreacted over the whole you and Krum thing "

' I ..I never .. I don't ..I don't feel this way for Victor , ever " insisted Hermione , softly.

" I know ," Harry felt for her and hated her crying because he felt helpless ," I know "

Just then they heard the shrill giggles as lavender clinging to Ron as they rounded the corner , stopping when they came upon Harry and Hermione .

Lavender nuzzled Ron's arm and her eyes shone with anticipation." Oh, I think this spot is taken ," smiled Lavender ," better find us some place more private "

Ron moved away from her touch, taking in a cozy looking Harry with his arm around Hermione . He never noticed that her eyes were red from crying , just that she and Harry were cuddling together away from everyone in the common and the yellow birds.

So that was how it was !

" What's with the birds ?" asked Ron, blandly .

Hermione stood, shrugging off Harry and faced him, hurt and fury in her brown eyes.

" Oppungo! "

Before either Ron or Harry could react, Hermione sent the birds after Ron, pecking and biting Ron's arms in an angry swarm as he batted them away with a curse.

" Bloody hell, Hermione , what ..why the hell did you do that ?' accusssed Ron but she refused to meet his gaze or answer him. She fell back down beside Harry , spent.

With an angry glare at the brown haired girl, Ron allowed Lavender to pull him into the nearest empty classroom and into her arms and hot, searing kisses that made him forget all about the sweet , smart mouthed young woman outside , crying her eyes out.

" Yes, Hermione ," Harry smoothed her hair as she cried ," that's exactly how it feels '

She couldn't speak, it hurt to much to find the right words , when it felt as if her heart had just shattered into a million tiny pieces which Ron then stomped on.

" I'm sorry, Hermione ," soothed Harry , holding her ," he'll come around . I know that Ron will and I don't believe for a minute Lavender means anything to him '

" I thought ….the summer , Harry ," cried Hermione ," I thought he..finally figured us out ….that ..he ..wanted me too "

" He does ," assured Harry , because Ron was his best mate and he thought it was the truth," you know, Ron ..he doesn't handle girls any better than I do "

She cried harder " You wouldn't kiss another girl if you didn't care for her "

Harry didn't know what to say or do. " I think I should go get Ginny "

" No,' Hermione pressed her face against his shoulder and tried to compose herself ," no need to bother Ginny. I ..I think I'm going to go for a walk and clear my head a bit '

" Do you want some company ?" asked Harry, having never seen her like this.

Angry, emotional Hermione was a mess and he felt like he shouldn't leave her alone .

" No," Hermione gave him a grateful hug ," thank you, Harry , but I will be fine "

" Do you want me to talk to Ron ?" asked Harry ," I think he needs to know , Hermione '

" No," Hermione was quick to respond," don't talk to ..him about me. I ..I was wrong ..and ..I will just have to accept it , Harry "

She managed a small smile and then walked down the hall towards the courtyard , alone .

Harry was very afraid that this wasn't going to bode well for the three of them and hadn't a clue about how to go about bringing the situation around .


	8. Chapter 9

_Harry had been avoiding bringing up any mention of Ron's snogfest with Lavender of Hermione's outrage and hurt involving the damned canaries but it was the following morning and if he wanted to see where his friends stood with each other, he was going to just have to find his best mate and ask him point blank._

_It wasn't such a hard thing to do though right now talking up Slughorn for Dumbledore held a whole lot more appeal than the later ._

_He dragged a hand through his hair, still a bit wet from his shower, and walked into the dorm where he was greeted by Seamus and Neville discussing the girls ._

_Ron was once again at the center of the conversation and Harry thought he looked a bit snug._

" _Got to hand it to you, mate," said Seamus , with something resembling amazement in his voice," never figured you'd be the one ,Ron, to be snogging the lovely Lavender"_

_Ron rocked back on his heels in a gesture he had seen his brothers use._

" _What can I say, Seamus ," boasted Ron," Lavender wants me " _

" _I wouldn't have bet on it " said Seamus and headed out of the room._

" _Bit of a disappointment myself ," commented Neville, off hand," I never figured Lavender Brown was the sort of girl you'd like to be with, Ron " _

_Ron appeared taken a back. " I am not taking bloody dating lessons from you, Neville," remarked Ron," if it wasn't for Luna, you wouldn't be dating anyone but yourself " _

_Neville just shrugged , unconcerned. " I think Luna was right about you ," tossed Neville,' sometimes, Ron, you can be a git " _

_With a nod at Harry, he went downstairs to have breakfast with his girlfriend ._

" _Bloody hell Luna didn't say that ! Hell, I am not a slick git " _

" _guess that depends ," Harry faced his best friend ," I didn't know you were interested in Lavender as far as we've talked about girls …" _

_Ron frowned ." Lavender is very attractive ,Harry ," defended Ron," you've seen her .As far as the girls in this school goes , she is probably the prettiest girl " _

_He swallowed the lump in his throat pushing past the brief image of wild brown curls and beautiful brown eyes and envisioned blonde hair and generous curves ._

" _She is pretty " conceded Harry , though no one could hold a candle to Ginny's beauty._

" _So was it just a snog or are you with Lavender now ?" _

_Ron was offended by the suggestion as Dad would have his hide if he was just snogging random girls for the fun of it . No one in the house had ever forgotten the yelling lecture dad had given the lot of them after Charlie's incident with the young lady from Surrey._

" _I am not my brother ," defended Ron," lavender and I are together " _

_Harry grimaced and rubbed at his scar though it wasn't hurting . He needed a distraction ._

_He wanted to be happy for his friend but he had a bad feeling that Ron was making a huge mistake and he didn't even want to imagine how Hermione would take the news._

" _True I wasn't planning on me and her happening ," Ron was saying ," just sort of happened .Like 5__th__ year and you and Cho , I reckon " _

" _Not like me and Cho ," countered Harry ," listen, mate, what about Hermione ?" _

_A scowl crossed Ron's face then a barely discernable flicker of something like uncertainty appeared in his blue eyes then it was gone ._

" _Not my fault Hermione has finally gone mental," Ron held out his arms , pointing out the red welts and bruises compliemnts of her pecking canaries that had attacked him," I don't know what she's thinking these days! Bloody hell, Harry, she nearly maimed me with those damned bloody birds of hers !" _

" _She was a little upset ," replied Harry," sure you can imagine why " _

_Ron threw on a Chudley cannon scarf around his neck to ward of the cold ._

" _What I saw was Hermione looked fine ,' said an irritable Ron," I mean, you two must have cut out early from the party , eh, Harry ?" _

_Harry tossed a book at him but he batted it to the floor then scowled at him._

" _You cant be serious ,Ron? You're the mental one. She was upset over you snogging lavender in front of everyone in the common , you git " _

_Ron was skeptical." Did Hermione actually say that ? Cause that sounds more like you, mate, than her " _

" _Damn " swore Harry , wishing fervently that he had kept Neville in here for support ._

_This was why girls were way better at this emotional stuff -why couldn't Hermione just tell Ron this herself would be so much more simpler. _

" _That's what I thought ," replied Ron, making a dismissal sound ," I don't care if the fact that I've found someone has gotten Hermione's knickers in a twist. I never..her and I are friends and I never made her any promises so that means I am a free agent " _

" _What about the summer ?" questioned Harry, curiously ._

" _What about the summer ,' said Ron," so what if Hermione and I spent time together at the deal, Harry, we always do that .Doesn't mean anything different …" _

_So what if he and Hermione had sort of flirted with each other or that he had almost kissed her a couple dozen times .None of that actually happened between them . _

" _Lavender and I have something ..between us " declared Ron," and I don't know if it will last but I do know I am gonna enjoy it and see how it goes " _

_Lavender was a gorgeous girl and he was a damn lucky bloke. _

" _I gotta meet lavender for breakfast ," told Ron," you joining us ?" _

" _Sure " agreed Harry, grabbing the Princes book and following after his best friend and prayed for the best ._

_Meanwhile downstairs at the Gryffindor table, Hermione tried to read the latest happenings in the Daily Prophet but found that she couldn't concentrate as Lavender's conversation with the Patil sisters drifted back towards her, distracting her ._

_Lavender fussed with the bracelet on her wrist ." Ron is incredibly forceful and romantic " _

_Padma lifted a brow in surprise ." I went to the Yule ball with Ron a couple years ago," informed Padma ," it wasn't memorable. He may be nice but I wouldn't date him" _

" _You're just jealous ,Padma ," said Lavender , taking a delicate sip of her pumpkin juice ," but that is no bother . Ron and I are written in the stars..I have seen it " _

" _Lav," Parvarti was the voice of reason," what about Hermione Granger ? She and Ron Weasley are practically inseparable ….since forever " _

_Lavender made a disgusted face and fluffed at her curls, wanting them to be just perfect ._

" _I am not worried ," assured Lavender , knowingly ," My Ron would never be interested in a bookish sort of girl like Hermione . She is hardly a threat .." _

_Hermione clenched her hands together and considered jinxing the insipid tart._

_Of all the nerve, the dim-witted bimbo! _

" _Why good morning ,Hermione ," greeted Luna as she and Neville joined her ," are you alright ? There are quite a lot of Wrackspurts about you and I'm a bit fretful " _

_Hermione blinked , having only understood half of what Luna had mentioned ._

"_What, Luna ? Um, no, I don't think so," murmured Hermione ," I mean, I am fine " _

" _I know it isn't nice ," went on Luna in her way," but I just don't care for Lavender . I think she only pretends to be nice because she uses her looks to draw boys in " _

_Hermione giggled at the observation then caught herself." Luna , you mustn't say that " _

" _How are you, Hermione ?" asked Neville, handing Luna some pudding ._

" _Oh,well, I am fine ,Neville " answered Hermione , calmly._

_Just then Harry and Ron strode in the hall and with a joyous cry, lavender flung herself in Ron's arms , kissing him, fervently , much to the dismay of Hermione ._

_Her heart plummeted to the souls of her feet and tears sprang to her eyes because it hadn't been an awful nightmare or a mistake . Ron was with lavender ._

" _Hermione …I know you said I shouldn't talk to him about this " started Harry , reaching out to cover her hand with his," maybe if you just talked to Ron " _

_She managed a wan smile and removed her hand." I don't want to talk to Ron," says Hermione , briskly ," and its obvious he is quite busy. Now if you will excuse me, I have a million things to do and I have ..I lost my appetite " _

_Glancing briefly towards Ron, Hermione bit her lip and ran out of the dining hall. _

" _Well I handled that splendidly …." said a dour Harry," bollocks " _

" _Too many Wrackspurts for Hermione to think clearly " declared Luna ," and Ron's aura is quite dark at the moment . Terrible for them both, I think " _

" _Do you know of a solution, Luna ?" asked Neville, having realized that his girlfriend was brilliant and astute on her predications as of late ._

_She glanced down at Ron who was being fed by lavender in what might have been romantic , if she hadn't been acting all simpering and fawning over him. _

" _Afraid not ," answered Luna, softly, " they will have to figure it out on their own" _

_Ron was dating Lavender._

_Hermione was heartbroken and Harry was torn . There wasn't any middle ground here ._

_Hermione wasn't speaking to Ron unless it involved class work and Harry understood that she was reacting through her hurt but he was at a loss of what to do to fix it. _

_Ron seemed to be spending all of his free time snogging lavender ._

_Harry desperately needed to talk and couldn't have been more pleased when he wondered into the common room to find Ginny sitting by herself , watching the fire burn in the grate._

_Her usually bright eyes were red rimmed as if she had been crying ._

" _Ginny," Harry moved to sit on the sofa with her ," are you okay ?" _

_Her smile was thin." Fine .Dean and I had a bit of a spat .it's nothing " _

" _I'm sorry," said Harry ,secretly thrilled that Dean and Ginny weren't the happy couple. _

_Could he still have a chance with her ? Did he dare even think he had one ?_

_He couldn't help but want a chance with her ._

_Ron had been right ;Dean was a sod for upsetting her. He didn't deserve her._

_Dean couldn't possibly understand how special Ginny was but Harry did ._

_She sent him a tentative smile ." Rough day, Harry ?" _

" _I'm stuck," Harry blew out a breath he hadn't even realized he had been holding ," stuck right in the middle of the both of them. " _

_Her smile was as rueful as his," I'm to blame for it " _

" _I doubt it but we are quite the pair," chuckled Harry, reaching out to touch her hand ," so I've considered some spells but I don't want to make it worse . Do you have any idea, Ginny, how we can fix them ?" _

" _I've considered hexing Lavender ," confessed Ginny, brightly ," honestly real surprised that Hermione hasn't yet. Afraid it will only make it worse for her .You?" _

" _Thought about telling Ron how disgusting Lavender is," explained Harry,' you know with how she giggles a lot and tries to dress him but I think he must like all that. Plus if I know Ron, he'd probably just be pissed at me again" _

_He caressed the underside of her wrist and he knew her skin would be this soft. _

_The air seemed to thicken around around them as did the currents at such a simple touch._

" _Mmm," murmured Ginny, moving towards him as if mesmorized ," problem is my brother , he hasn't realized that he's in love with Hermione …yet ' _

_**I LOVE YOU,HARRY . I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED YOU.**_

_She wanted to say the words , yearned to confess that she'd fallen in love with him the first time she'd ever seen him but she held back. She had been a little girl then._

_She held back even as she found herself drawing in the distance between them. _

_His cheek brushed against hers, lightly. If she moved a hairsbreadth, it would be a kiss._

" _Ginny …." whispered Harry, his heart thudding wildly against his chest._

_He wanted desperately to move forward and taste her lips. It would be right ._

_They would fit , him and Ginny. Despite his feelings that had been growing steadily for Ginny, she had a boyfriend and he was one that Harry believed was a friend ._

_Worse than that was how Ron's reaction would be If he would sit him down and flat out tell him that he fancied Ginny._

" _Harry ," whispered Ginny, her fall of hair brushing against him. This was what she wanted but did he really want to kiss her ? _

" _OOOooWoN Won," Lavender 's shrill voice cut through the intimacy of Harry and Ginny's moment as she clung to Ron as they entered the room," your soo funny " _

" _I try, Lav ," Ron nuzzled her neck, stopping only when he spotted his best mate and his sister . They were sitting awfully close ," Hey, Harry, sis , can we join you ?" _

" _Suit yourself ," Ginny stood, feeling off -balance ," where is Hermione ?" _

" _How the hell should I know ," snapped Ron," probably studying fifty more ways to be perfect or such rubbish like that. I don't know…" _

_Lavender giggled, delighted and held onto her boyfriend for dear life._

_Harry gripped the nearest pillow and plastered a smile on his face for Ron's sake. He had tried to like Lavender but the girl was impossible. _

_She was brainless and it seemed to him, the only goal she had in life was kissing Ron. _

" _I think she's helping Nigel with his Transfiguration " recalled Harry _

" _She hasn't spoken to him since Ron and I got together ," contributed lavender ," she isn't a very good friend . I told Ron it is because she is jealous of me " _

" _I don't know what her problem is ," dismissed Ron, plopping down in an armchair and pulling a giggling lavender onto his lap," Hermione , I mean " _

" _You are," hissed Ginny, disgusted ," your such a thick-headed turnip for brains, Ron" _

_She sent Lavender a chilly look that would have sent many a boy scurrying and then stomped up to the girls dorm in hopes that Hermione would be hiding out there ._

" _She and Dean still fighting ?" Ron asked Harry as lavender smothered him with kisses ._

_Harry tried to focus on Ron's voice and not their sickening display of snogging . _

" _Yeah, I think so " answered Harry, trying to sound disinterested in the fact._

" _figured that was why Gin was so prickly …" trailed off Ron to himself ._

" _Harry, we haven't really had a chance to chat ," broached Lavender ," and I know that you're my Won Won's best mate ever. Tell me , don't you think that Ron and I make the cutest couple in all of Hogwarts ? I just cant get over how perfect we are for each other " _

" _If you say so," mumbled Harry, under his breath. He couldn't blame Hermione for wanting to vomit -even he had a hard time stomaching Ron and lavender together ._

_He knew that Ron was enjoying the obvious adoration and snogging but his choice in a partner , Harry just couldn't fathom._

_Of course maybe it was just that Harry didn't find any of lavender 's attributes attractive. _

" _Uh, I guess so," muttered Harry," hadn't given it much thought actually " _

" _What exactly were you and Ginny doing ?" inquired Ron , suspiciously as he extracted himself from Lavender's wandering hands ._

_Harry scratched his scar and avoided meeting his best friends gaze." Talking "_

_Ron screwed his face up in consternation." Guess I never reckoned you and Gin were friends till now ," admitted Ron, recalling that Gin hadn't actually talked to Harry without stuttering or running off since last year. _

" _Won Won," Lavender snuggled up to him," pay attention to me " _

_Ron shrugged at Harry before lavender pulled him down for a devouring kiss. _

_Harry turned, feigned gagging, not at the actual snogging but he was convinced the only reason Lavender was dating Ron might have more to do with his newfound popularity lately._

_The portrait swung open as Hermione came through, arms laden with thick stacks of books, and her eyes instantly fell upon the tangle that was Ron and Lavender ._

_For a split second, Harry caught a glimpse of Hermione's pain before they turned to ice._

" _Hermione ," spoke up Harry, genuinely glad to see her ," hi.. Where were you?" _

" _Library ," answered Hermione , managing a wan smile," the Slug Club parties are alright but I'm terribly behind in the rest of my classes. I thought I'd do more studying '_

" _Great ," interjected Harry," I'll study with you. I didn't get all of my notes for McGonagall's class….." _

_Ron extricated himself from Lavender at the mention of that particular lesson as he had spent a good portion of the class trying to impress his new girlfriend . Still he did actually want to pass the class and Hermione took the best notes._

" _I'm sorry, Harry ," apologized Hermione, refusing to help them cheat. If she helped Harry then he in turn would pass it onto Ron," maybe later on. See you later " _

_She turned back around and exited from the portrait she'd just come from._

" _If I fail," Harry told Ron," it'll be your fault " _

_GT _

" _Dean, I do not need your help every bloody time," argued Ginny, impatiently as she and Dean stood in the clock tower," I am quite capable of opening a door myself "_

" _I was being polite ," Dean was offended," and I thought romantic!" _

" _You were being bossy," countered Ginny, peeved," you know good and well how I feel about being told what I should and shouldn't do, Dean" _

" _It was a damn door, Ginny," spat out Dean," I never told you not to go to the Slugfest .That is what your pissed off at..not the door. I only mentioned that I wished that you wouldn't go since I cant be there with you.." _

" _Which is you telling me what I can and cannot do" argued back Ginny, perturbed . _

_Granted the Slug Club was exactly the highlight of her life but it was nice._

_Harry, Hermione, and Neville had all been invited to join and it was nice._

" _God, Ginny," spoke up Dean, aggravated by her stubbornness," cant you do something for me once and a while ? I let you lead me by the horns …." _

_It was a slight exaggeration because Dean was a man of his own making . If he chose to follow her then it was by his own choice . _

" _No, you don't have to do anything ,dean," Ginny moved restlessly round the tower. _

_Dean raked a hand through his curly hair." Is this about Harry ?" _

_Her laughter sounded weak, even to her own ears. " Harry," repeated Ginny," no. Why would you even bring Harry into this, Dean?" _

_Dean frowned , wondered if it was wise to bring up this topic but it already was. _

_Ginny had been restless and on edge for weeks now . He cared about her and would have been a fool to not be taken with her . However he did have eyes and he couldn't help but to notice a certain intensity in the way that his girlfriend would linger in conversation with Harry Potter. _

_Didn't want to believe the speculation surrounding them either . Gossip moved faster through Hogwarts than anywhere else and most of the times it was all lies. _

" _You spend a lot of time with Harry on the pitch " brought up Dean, swiftly ._

" _it's Quid ditch ," explained Ginny, frustration edging her voice,' he's the captain . You would be spending time as well if Harry calls you in as a substitute " _

"_Okay, sorry ," Dean let it go," not Harry. Please tell me that you're still not upset over this Ron and Hermione thing ?" That had to be it so he tried to placate her, gingerly ," Ginny, you cant possibly fix everything . I get that its in your nature to try but you know that it just doesn't always work out " _

" _You could help," offered Ginny," Ron isn't listening to me at the moment " _

" _Again, not wanting murdered in my sleep ," reminded Dean," this is just stupid. We aren't getting anywhere on this and I wont row with you over this rubbish. If you decide you want to be sensible and spend some alone time with me, I'll be down the hall playing some Gobstones with Seamus " He pressed a kiss against her hair then disappeared, leaving her to her own thoughts . _

_He wanted her to be sensible ?_

_That was a romantic thought -hah! About as romantic as a port key to hell and back._

_This only made her think of Harry, unfortunately . Ginny kicked the stone wall, wincing as tears sprang to her eyes yet refused to give into them. _

_When exactly had her relationship with Dean start to deteriorate ? It had been full of fun at the beginning and now she just wasn't sure what it even was anymore._

_Maybe it would be better to find a way to just end it and be done ._

_GT _

" _It is none of my business whom Ron chooses to kiss ," Hermione jabbed viciously at the parchment with her quill as she and Harry talked in the library," I really could care less whom he kisses . He is at perfect liberty to kiss whom-ever he wants " _

_Her quill tore a hole in the parchment ." Even if it's a brainless tart in the form of lavender Brown but that is his business ,the stupid prat " _

_She stopped writing and frowned down at the essay noticing the large hole she had managed to rip into it , wishing it had been Ron instead. _

" _Maybe if you tried talking to him" suggested Harry, who was struggling with this newfound war that had seemingly erupted between Ron and Hermione .Even in his worse imagination , it hadn't prepared him for the lengths his friends were taking ._

" _I do not want to talk to Ron," stated Hermione ," Reparo" the hole in the essay sealed itself " Oh and it might interest you to know Dean and Ginny have had another fight " _

" _Oh," Harry tried to appear nonchalant though he knew he wasn't fooling Hermione ," too bad. They seem to be fighting a lot..lately " He rubbed his palms against his trousers," or that is what I heard so was it a bad fight ?" _

" _Ginny was crying again," confided Hermione because she cared deeply for both Harry and Ginny," and you know she isn't one to cry over just anything " _

" _I've always liked that about her " allowed Harry , because it was true. _

_Hermione was his best friend and she knew .She understood his feelings . _

_Hermione reached out and squeezed his hand ." I do see how you look at her , Harry " _

" _I'm not sure when or how exactly it happened ," confided Harry in low undertones ," I think it might have been this summer . Am I making sense at all, Hermione ? God , if I tell Ron that I fancy his sister , he'll kill me " _

" _I think it makes perfect sense to me ," says Hermione , wistfully," I never told you this but it was the Yule Ball for me. I wanted Ron to ask me so bad , I waited and waited , I dreamed about it and he never noticed me unless I was his last resort " _

_She took a breath" I am finished worrying over I honestly don't think he would have a problem with you dating Ginny. I actually think that he would find you better suited for her than anyone else .." _

"_He and Dean are mates ," recalled Harry ," you've heard what he calls him" _

"_I think it would be different ," assured Hermione , believing it to be true ," you and Ginny" _

" _Maybe ," hesitated Harry ," but it doesn't matter since she is still with Dean " _

" _Not for long ," encouraged Hermione , squeezing his wrist ," trust me . Talk to her " _

" _How about a deal ," Harry tried to find a way to make the sadness in her eyes dissappear ," I'll speak with Ginny if you go and tell Ron how you feel ?" _

" _I'm sorry, Harry ," murmured Hermione ," I just cant …." _

" _He doesn't really want Lavender,' said Harry ," I'm a guy and I wouldn't want her " _

" _You're a good friend , Harry ," Hermione hugged him," but you don't have to lie for Ron. He is with Lavender and I have just got to learn to accept it " _


	9. Chapter 10

Slughorn's Christmas party was looming on the horizon, Harry desperately wanted to ask Ginny but he knew that he couldn't .Despite whatever problems she and Dean were still having, they were still together . He had broached the idea of him and Hermione attending as friends ,only to discover that his friend had panicked since naturally Ron wouldn't be taking her, and apparently asked someone else.

Who he had to admit he was curious to find out since Hermione refused to tell him.

So now Harry was faced with a horde of females begging to go with him or Romilda Vane , so he had decided to just ask another friend .

As Harry stepped into the common room, it occurred to him that he had gone about this all wrong. Too late now though.

Ginny lay on the floor reading a Muggle magazine and lifted her eyes to meet his.

" Hi Harry " greeted Ginny, her smile warm and mischievous ,as usual.

A smile slid into place as it always did when he saw her, her energy was infectious.

Idly Harry wondered how many freckles were scattered across her nose and how nice it would be to kiss a path across it to find her lips.

He blew out a breath," Ginny"

" I heard Charms was dreadful," joked Ginny,somberly," I didn't realize it effected you"

" I told her about what Ron said to Hermione …." contributed Neville, helpfully.

" I'm considering actually interfering this time ," Harry nodded towards Ron who was in the armchair with Lavender . They were wrapped together snogging , one only caught glimpses of his ginger hair and her blonde waves." More than I already have "

' That dunderhead troll of a brother of mine has been like that for nearly ten minutes," informed Ginny, sticking her tongue out at them," I'm about ready to get one of those Muggle plungers to pull them apart. It's disgusting …."

" So are you and Dean" thought Harry but kept it to himself.

" Neville ought to get a medal," said Ginny," he's mastered ignoring them"

Neville lifted his head from his Dark Arts book to grin at them." They sort of sound like a Tentacular plant ," explained Neville," except for the sucking sound so if I concentrate hard enough, I can imagine that I'm studying in the greenhouse for Herb logy "

" That's brilliant, Neville," replied Harry , glancing back to see Ron trying to disengage himself from his girlfriend ," also kind of sad "

Neville shrugged, unconcerned ." You come up with anything better, Harry ?"

" good point ," said Harry," real good actually. I'm splitting my time in two so that I can still be friends with both Ron and Hermione . I think its safe to say I am nearly tapped of anything remotely clever …."

" Hey," protested Ron, backing away from his girlfriend," I'm here "

" Glad that you could join us " muttered Harry, dryly.

Lavender tried to kiss Ron's jaw but he blocked her ." Give it a rest, Lavender . I want to know what is going on for a change "

She pursed her lips, big violet eyes, watering ." Don't talk to me like that, Won Won "

It was her pet name for him and all she ever called him" You'll hurt my feelings "

Ron patted her hand ." Sorry, Lav, sorry. Just give me a bit of space , will you?"

Couldn't she give him one moment of peace ? He'd settle for a second even.

Ginny caught the interchange between the couple, met Harry's gaze, and drew a 1 in the air .

Harry wanted to hug her. Except he shouldn't and he really needed to talk with Neville.

" Neville," brought up Harry ," I wanted to speak with you about something "

Neville turned to look at his friend as it wasn't often Harry asked him things .

" Sure, Harry ," answered Nevillle, readily ," what is it ? You know I wish I had your hand in Potions . I am really doing pitiful this term and Slughorn isn't that fond of me. Especially since I didn't make his club but your like his favorite .How do you do it ?"

Harry thought of the half-blood prince's potion book and all of his handy notes but kept quiet.

" Just got lucky , I guess " said Harry, casually.

" Lucky book is more like it " remarked Ginny, glibly. She knew why he was now the potions king and it had nothing to do with his natural ability or sitting beside Hermione .

" You've heard about the Slug club Christmas party ," broached Harry, wishing he had given this more thought .Now he felt incredibly foolish," its sort of a big deal"

" Only if your part of the Slug Club ' retorted Ron with distaste.

" Everyone is talking about it ," interjected Neville, " how its formal and that he has invited all sorts of famous people. Ex-students he taught and all. Can you believe that professor Slughorn asked me to be a waiter at his party ?"

" That's awful, Neville," this came from Ron," your no more a servant than I am. Hope you turned him down flat …I would have "

In the back of his mind it occurred to him suddenly that if he had continued the dance he had been doing with Hermione **before Lavender **came into the picture, they would be going to the holiday party together . Ron sent a side-long glance at Lavender and she hung on tightly to his he managed not to tug his arm away from her .

" No, he's paying 3 Galleons for the whole night ," explained Neville, enthuisiactly ," Marcus Belby is passing out hand towels in the men's loo. I figured it couldn't hurt besides I still have to get Luna 's Christmas present "

" Neville," scolded Ginny, good naturally ," I don't believe that you would wait till the last minute to get your girlfriend a gift. Some other prats around here , I would believe .."

" Won Won had mine special ordered ," piped up lavender ," my darling boyfriend "

" Eh, it wasn't that difficult " added Ron and truth be told, it wasn't .

He had simply ordered her one of Fred and George's new Wonder Witch perfumes .Lavender was frilly and feminine so he figured it didn't matter if he didn't actually pick it out for her . Not like last year when he had perfume specially made for Hermione but that was different ..completely different .

Ginny cocked a brow in her brothers direction as if to say'this I'll have to hear "

" Give him a break, Ginny," said Harry," I would think Luna might be a bit difficult to shop for …..she likes different things than other girls "

Ginny made a face at him." You are so wrong, One "

" I agree with Harry ," added in lavender ," the girl is a bit dafty "

" Luna 's good value but she's not daft , Lavender " tossed back in Ron," and I don't think I've ever actually seen you speak once with Luna "

Lavender folded her arms angrily across her chest." She and I hardly run in the same circle , Won Won "

" Actually she's not really ," contributed Nevillle, " and I was going to get her some pretty earrings I saw in town but then I overheard Lavender and Parvarti discussing intimacy of gifts which I hadn't really thought of before. I don't want to give her anything inappropriate …."

" You have been seeing Loony Lovegood for months ," cut in a peevish lavender ," I cant imagine that a dolt such as yourself could find anything highly inappropriate for her "

Ron stood, affronted for his friend." Lav, bloody hell, that was uncalled for ! Neville and Luna are my friends or do you just keep forgetting that "

She gripped her hands together, tightly, and cursed her tongue. She kept forgetting that her boyfriend had a sensitive side beneath all that manly physique .

" I am sorry, honey "

Ron chose to ignore her , hoping that she would get mad and leave him alone tonight .

" Actually Luna is what I wanted to talk to you about , Neville," Harry tried again," Slughorn's party…we have to bring a date. I was going to bring Hermione but she already has a date apparently " he caught a glimpse of the color drain from Ron's face and knew he had dropped a bomb. Couldn't be helped and surely Ron would have figured that Hermione might have asked someone else .

" Er, who is she taking ?" stumbled Ron, not caring if Lavender got pissed at him.

This was Hermione that they were talking about and it didn't matter if they weren't speaking . She was still his best friend . Blokes just didn't up and ask Hermione out, ordinarily unless she did the asking cause she was independent like that.

" I don't know," answered Harry in utter frustration," she wouldn't tell me "

" Why wouldn't she tell you?" shot back a curious Ron, eyeing him warily .

Lavender's eyes narrowed." Why would you even care about Granger ?"

" Drop it ," growled a disgruntled Ron," I don't want to know, alright "

Just then Parvarti Patil strolled in and caught the tail end of the argument and realized that she could be of assistance and have a bit of fun as well.

" Are you talking about Slug horn's Christmas party ? " gushed Parvarti, ever the gossip," I wish Seamus was a part of it so that I could go . Do you know who I just saw outside the library ?" She didn't give them time to respond ," Hermione and Cormac MCLaggen. They seemed awfully cozy and I heard her ask him to the party . I hadn't even realized that those two were dating ?"

Without a word to anyone, Ron growled under his breath and stormed upstairs.

" Lovely " muttered Harry on a heavy sigh .

Lavender glared daggers at her best friend ," Thanks for ruining my night , Parvarti "

Parvarti slid on the armchair of the sofa beside Ginny. " Did you ever stop and think that if your boyfriend is this upset over Hermione Granger that it means something ,Lav ?"

Lavender tossed her braids off her shoulders, dramatically ." You're supposed to be my friend! Ron loves me ! How could you even suggest such a mean, hurtful thing to me?"

" Because I am your friend ," said a patient parvarti," its right in front of you, Lavender .Ask anyone here and they'll tell you the truth. Wont you, Ginny ?"

" I would never lie about my brother ," answered Ginny, smartly ," he's wild over Hermione . You only have to see them in a room together to know "

" You hate me, Ginny," accused lavender ," I wouldn't ever believe you "

Ginny waved her hands in the air in defeat ." Believe what you will, Lavender. "

Groaning at the onslaught of constant interruptions, Harry once more faced Neville .

" Look I asked Luna to go with me to the party," blurted out Harry , louder than he had intended ," I didn't really think about it at the time cause I was trying to hide from Romilda Vane . It would only be as friends . I hope your not mad at me , Neville, since Luna is your girlfriend "

Neville straightened ." I'm not mad," replied Neville and found it to be true ," Luna is very fond of you. I bet it meant a lot to her that you asked her as friends..Was she happy ?"

" I think she was a bit excited " admitted Harry ," your truly not upset at me, Neville ?"

" Are you planning on stealing Luna from me then, Harry ?" asked Neville, a gleam in his eye. He trusted Luna first and foremost , even if she did have a tiny crush on Harry .

This was speculation on his part but it wasn't important .

He loved Luna and she felt the same way about him.

If she wanted to go to a party with their friend, it was her right .

" That's absurd, Neville, " said an incredulous Harry ," of course not "

Neville puffed his chest out a bit, confident for a change. 'It's stupid to get jealous ," decided Neville, " Besides I'll be there serving and maybe I can add a spark of romance for me and Luna . You know, like a surprise, what do they call them in those girl movies ? Tryst in the night , that's it "

" That is very sweet, Neville, " Ginny pressed a friendly kiss across his cheek," and I am positive that Luna will be delighted that you thought of it "

Harry gaped once more at Ginny and marveled at the depth of her emotions.

One minute, she was a fiery, impetuous girl and the next simply down to earth and kindhearted. There were so many layers he was discovering or maybe they had always been there in her only he hadn't chosen to see her as anything more than Ron's little sister .Which wasn't the case anymore.

" Are you and Dean going to the party ?" blurted out Harry , wishing he could take it back once it had left his mouth. He had to know though if they were still fighting .

Hermione confided in him that they were and she would know the truth.

A thin line drew across her lips in consternation. " That was the plan ," eluded Ginny," though Dean is a bit hacked off at me , we may not be going "

GO WITH ME. BE MY DATE GINNY ..BE WITH ME

Harry held her gaze and in that second , the longing and the confusion was reflected in both of their eyes. Neither dared to speak it out loud , for the fear it wasn't reciprocated.

" I'm…sorry ," stumbled Harry , aware that they had an eager audience ," I ..can talk to Dean, if you like "

Talk to Dean ? Where the hell did that come from ? Was he out of his mind too ?

He wanted them apart and here he was offering to talk to the sod.

Obviously Ron's insanity was catching or he would have never offered such a thing !

Ginny sputtered out a half-laugh, part cry. " no, I don't think you should , Harry "

Parvarti flicked a look from Ginny then back to Harry ." That wouldn't help at all "

" Oh, this is stupid," declared Lavender ," I'm going to see if I can figure out a chart of Ron's moon and mine . I will prove that we're meant to be "

With a flounce of superiority , Lavender marched towards the girls dormitory .

Harry ignored them, though in the back of his mind, vaguely wondered what exactly parvarti had meant by her comment but didn't dwell on it .

" I hope you still come to the party, Ginny " said Harry , quietly .

" I plan too " Ginny found her voice. If only to be ..near you.

" Good," replied Harry, hope surging within him," maybe we can have a dance "

" you cant dance , Harry ," teased Ginny warmed by the affection in his voice.

" I'm not so bad on the slow ones ," admitted Harry ," I mean, unless you'd think it would be wrong. I mean if Dean decides to come or not…with you "

How could she get him so twisted up in knots ?

In a manner of one summer, it would seem that he had become an idiot around Ginny.

" Uh, I need to talk to Ron about something " said Harry, vaguely waving at his friends and proceeded to head upstairs towards his dorm room.

Parvarti raised a perfectly arched brow towards Ginny. " That wasn't subtle, Ginny "

" I don't know what you're talking about ," insisted Ginny , matter of fact," and even if I were to guess, you would have no room to speak. I saw your work with Seamus …"

She let out a full blown laugh " I wasn't being spiteful, Ginny. Dean's a sweetheart and seamus's best friend but a girl has eyes. I can tell as well as anyone it's gone with you and Dean and I've never seen Harry potter look at another girl how he does you "

" She's right ," Neville collected his books," not even when he was with Cho"

Ginny gave him a look of pure exasperation. ." You too, Neville ?" asked Ginny, in mock pain. How was it that more people other than Hermione could read her ?

She had tried so hard to keep her emotions in check and take things as they came along .

No stuttering or casting silly spells or writing sappy love letters- just being herself.

Just Ginny Weasley .

" You once gave me some really good advice about Luna ," stated Neville with a crooked grin," so now its my turn. I agree with Parvarti on this and its really painful to watch you and Dean lately. I think you'd be a good match for Harry and he needs that "

" Thanks, I think " muttered a thoughtful Ginny.

Having said his piece , Neville headed the direction Harry and Ron had gone, leaving the girls alone .

" Wonderful," Ginny sank back down in the armchair," does anyone else care to weigh in on this or do my moronic , cabbage head brothers have bets on me ?"

" I haven't seen your brothers ," chimed in parvarti, sweetly ," except for Ron. Now if you will excuse me , I need to go sway those charts towards Cormac or Terry Boot or else lavender will make it her life's ambition to be Ron's wife "

She and Ginny both shuddered at that thought ." Lav is my best friend but even I don't want to have to deal with that "

Ginny chuckled and sighed heavy-hearted as the portrait door swung open bringing in Hermione and a tall stack of books tucked under her arms. She glanced furtively towards the armchair , breathing again since it was empty save for Ginny.

She had come to think of the chair as Ron and Lavender's snogging spot.

"It's safe, Hermione ," called out Ginny," no one is here but me "

Hermione let her books drop onto the table. She took a moment to allow herself to relax.

" Where is everyone ?" she asked , curiously ," I thought I was supposed to help Harry with his Advanced Transfiguration homework "

Perhaps he was off trying to talk with Professor Slughorn still.

" He went up to the dorm," answered Ginny," so did Ron "

She paused , noticing Hermione fidgeting with her hands. " he was annoyed with lavender "

" I don't care one way or the other " lied Hermione in a neutral tone .

" Is that why you asked Cormac McLaggen to the Slug club Christmas bash ?" quipped Ginny, dying to find out how her friend had landed Cormac when there were so many much nicer guys in school that would have gladly taken her.

Hermione winced ." I only just asked him. How do you know about it ?"

" Parvarti overheard you ," admitted Ginny," I'm sure half the school knows now "

" Brilliant ," muttered Hermione ," I hate gossip in this place '

Ginny skewered her with a dirty look. " McLaggen is a filthy creep , Hermione ," said Ginny," how can you even think to ask him ?"

" I am perfectly capable of handling myself ," informed Hermione , confidently ," besides Cormac told Ron he fancies me. " She smoothed her lips " Besides Ron hates him "

" I don't think it is the wisest thing to do ," expressed a concerned Ginny," Dezmelda said that Cormac is as aggressive with a girl as he is on the quid ditch pitch "

" I will be fine ," assured Hermione with a dismissive wave," so did you make up with Dean after this last fight or are you two still cooling off ?"

Ginny ran her hands down the front of her jeans, nervously.

" I think its more settling back, " surmised Ginny," oh, don't you start, Hermione Granger . The holidays are around the bend and I wont spoil it for Dean "

" What about the Christmas party ?" inquired Hermione , glancing warily towards the stairs as if expecting Ron to stride down on his lanky legs.

No Ron though .

" What about it,' cut in Ginny," If Dean doesn't want to go with me, I will still go"

" Harry would love to be your date ' confided Hermione , knowingly.

" Maybe, maybe not ," said Ginny," Harry and I talked about the dance. We will see each other at the party and a dance was mentioned . It wont be a date "

" Why are you putting up roadblocks, Gin?" demanded Hermione ,though she and Ginny seemed to be in a constant influx of a circle when it came to their sorry love lives.

" I'm not the one who is having a war ," stated Ginny," Harry and I are good friends. You and Ron have been carrying on this stupid war for too long …cant you at least call a truce for the holiday?"

" No," answered a stubborn Hermione ," honestly, can we just not discuss this right now ?I don't have the energy to even argue with you over my decisions and I'd much rather crawl into my bed and pretend this has all been an awful nightmare "

Ginny leaned over, hugging her. " Atleast promise me you will reconsider the Mclaggen date , Hermione . Just so you know , Ron does know that you asked the creep . I thought he was going to blow up on Lavender when he heard about it …"

Hermione chewed worriedly on her lower lip." Ron has a temper ," says Hermione , quietly,' I don't care if the prat doesn't like it. I …I just …it doesn't matter anymore "

With her heart in a puddle at her feet , Hermione made the escape to her room ,leaving Ginny once more alone with her thoughts. She picked idly at the patch on her knee and closed her eyes, imaging Slughorn's Christmas party as a real date with Harry .

If only it were real, if only she could allow it to happen between them without feeling as if she was being unfaithful to Dean as well as her true hearts desire .


	10. Chapter 11

Hermione darted into the girls loo , eager to escape a disastrous Charms with Ron and braced her hands against the sink, taking calming breaths. If he wanted to be a bloody arse all the time it was his own prerogative and she would just have to face facts that the sweet, gentle, exasperating Ron she was in love with , was gone .

Why she couldn't get past this kept constant gnawing at her emotions and making her unreasonable . Hermione was well aware of the fact but couldn't stop it .

Ignoring Ron wasn't doing her a bit of good either because she felt his presence .

It was at times like this when she almost wished she had fallen for Harry instead of Ron .

" My Won Won knows the best snogging spots ," declared lavender , as she and her gaggle of friends entered the restroom to touch up their make up," he is just so strong and forceful. He is a man who knows how to handle a woman …"

Hermione brushed at her brown curls and tried to ignore the vapid girl.

" The same Ron Weasley who took me to the Yule ball," said Padma Patil, applying lip-gloss," he was hardly the best date ever . I don't think he actually talked to me "

" I think he has changed since then ," went on Lavender , adjusting her bow ," he is much more manly and mature. Of course, he has scars on his arms from the fight at the Ministry which is very appealing . War wounds "

Hermione bit her lip ," He was attacked by brains, for your information "

Lavender lifted a brow and frowned at Hermione ." He could have been killed "

" you find it appealing that your boyfriend has injuries that could have killed him ?" tossed back Hermione , unable to stop herself ," those are his scars, Lavender . "

" I do not need told about my Won Won by the likes of you, Hermione Granger " stated lavender ," he is proud of those scars "

" He was troubled by them " slipped Hermione , recalling the summer . The scars had lessened of course but they were still visible on his arms and he was self conscience .

" You think you know everything about Ron ," accused lavender , her tone haughty," you don't . You haven't spoken with him since he and I started going out so don't pretend to be all about him now because you don't stand a chance "

" Fine then don't be spreading rumors about Ron," declared Hermione , sharply," he wouldn't appreciate it especially about his ..sexual prowess. He is quite old fashioned "

Lavender giggled as if she held a secret. " Not with me he isn't "

Hermione swallowed , refusing to believe the implication because the Ron she knew wouldn't ..she didn't want to believe it to be true .

" Hello " called Luna , sailing into the restroom and sensing distress.

" Loony " acknowledged Lavender and then walked out of the loo, as Padma sent Hermione a sympathetic look then followed after her friend .

" Hello Luna " says Hermione , managing a smile ," you missed all the fun "

Luna examined the tears that were threatening to fall as Hermione tried to regain some of her composure ." I don't think it was all that much fun for you "

" I never thought I could hate someone besides Voldermort ," confided Hermione , wryly," but honestly, Luna , I despise lavender so much "

" I think she isn't a very nice person " Luna patted her friends back in comfort ," so, you had words with her regarding Ron ?"

Hermione nodded ," I shouldn't have let her bait me "

" Perhaps if you talked to Ron about it " suggested Luna ," he was quite nice to me yesterday during supper . I don't think his girlfriend liked us being friends either "

" Well I am glad Ron wasn't rude to you , Luna ," managed Hermione ,' but I don't think Ron much cares to speak with me anymore than I do him "

" I think your wrong ," murmured a thoughtful Luna ," I was a bit frightened of my feelings for Neville myself but if I had continued to ignore him, he and I wouldn't be as happy as we are now. I would be dreadfully sorry about that "

" Neville adores you, Luna ,' says Hermione ," Ron doesn't like me "

She let out a heavy sigh and blew out a breath, preparing herself ." Thanks for the talk, Luna , but I need to get to study hall " murmured Hermione , grabbing her books and heading back out of the loo and into the long hallway.

Harry had taken off for class or in search of Malfoy so she was alone with her thoughts.

Which was a dangerous things these days .

She turned a corner and nearly ran into the tall, striking figure of Cormac Mclaggen.

A smile lit his face and he strode towards her ." Granger "

" Damn " swore Hermione , under her breath ," hello Cormack "

" You are looking quite fetching today " said Cormack , in his most charming voice .

" Thank you but I really must get to class… " says Hermione ," I..I don't want to be late '

" I could walk you to your class ," Cormac took her hand ," get to know you better "

" That is very sweet but not necessary ….really " insisted Hermione , trying to wrest her hand from his ," and I never said you could hold my hand "

" I was trying to be romantic " explained Cormack ,affronted .

Hermione clutched her books to her chest as in protection from his advances .

" We don't know each other well enough for romance, Cormack "

" I am trying to rectify that, if you will let me " assured Cormac with a devilish smile .

Ron and Seamus were discussing quid ditch strategy when they came across Hermione and Cormack ,looking all intense at one another .

" Guess she is into her quid ditch players .." chuckled Seamus ," I hate when the girlfriend is right . Guess Mclaggen has a similar look with Krum "

Ron skidded to a halt and set his jaw, glowering at how Cormac was taken liberties with Hermione . The sod was awfully damn close to her ..why was he that close ?

" Guess she does …" muttered Ron, not moving . He was supposed to be meeting up with Lavender but right now all he could see was red and hitting McLaggen .

Harry had been quiet but bloody hell, could it be true Hermione was dating the bloke ?

As if sensing someone watching her, Hermione lifted her eyes and brown met blue , locking , holding , questioning each other until she turned towards Cormac.

" I guess it wouldn't hurt anything if you escorted me to class " says Hermione

" Splendid ," Cormac took her hand ," I knew I could get you to come around "

" I wouldn't set your sights any higher ," informed Hermione ," I still meant what I said, Cormac. We don't know each other all that well and this is a courtesy "

" I find that prim and proper act you do very sexy, Granger " whispered Cormac

Hermione blushed," Cormac , please don't say things like that '

She allowed him to lead her towards the library as Ron's eyes followed them.

" You gonna talk to her or is there a reason we're standing here instead of off snogging our girlfriends, Weasley ?" cut in an amused Seamus

" Uh, no ," answered Ron, lamely ," Hermione and I are …you know, on the outs "

" That why you looked as pissed off as a hippogriff ?" Seamus had to ask .

" I just….naw ," dismissed Ron," he isn't her type is all. I mean ….never mind "

" You're real eloquent there , Weasley," Seamus slapped him good naturally on the back," come on, Parvarti is gonna be madder than a banshee if I am late "

" I'll trade you Lavender…." joked Ron, half-heartedly .

His heart hurt envisioning Hermione being held by that pile of dung , kissing Cormac .

Up until now it had all been speculation and talk around Hogwarts but actually seeing Hermione and Cormac did something to just anger him .

Hermione deserved someone much better than Mclaggen .

Neville was involved in repotting plants for professor Sprout when Luna came in and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his shoulder .

" I missed you, Neville " confessed the girl, softly ," I felt I should tell you "

A grin split across his face as he beamed up at her ." I missed you too, Luna "

He removed his gloves and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips then took her hands to lead her over to sit on a bench, together . He sensed something was troubling her .

" You seem down ," noticed Neville ," is it about your Dad ?"

" No," admitted Luna ," our friends are mucking up their lives horribly "

He held her hand , listened ." If they wont listen, we cant do anything about it "

" Hermione doesn't even act like herself anymore ," confessed Luna ," and neither does Ron. It shouldn't be difficult for them to speak the truth to each other "

" I agree but its none of our business ," agreed Neville," Ron is hooked on Lavender "

" More like she has her claws in him," sighed Luna," I just feel bad for them . It was rather freeing when I told you that I was in love with you, Neville "

" For me too ," agreed Neville, resting his head against hers," have you been looking again into our friends future ?"

Luna had been exploring some of her mothers old spells and had discovered she had similar abilities of a seer but she was only picking up on emotional things regarding herself and some of their friends. Neville hadn't wanted her to explore much more past that for fear that somehow Voldermort might find out and go after her .

She had agreed that it seemed more than likely .

" Not partially ," admitted Luna, softly," Ginny's aura is practically screaming at Harry . I am honestly surprised he doesn't hear it ….it is very loud and clear "

" Ginny is stubborn " conceded Neville," listen this is going to get you down so why don't I finish up here and we can walk down and visit the thestrals "

" That sounds like a lovely idea " agreed Luna ," thank you for thinking of me "

He cracked a modest grin." Always, Luna "

Pressing a kiss against the palm of her hand, Neville stood up and went back to finish .

GT

Hermione stared at the short pink dress on the hanger and let out a wistful sigh .

It had a modest bodice that hinted a bit at her cleavage , cinched at the waist and a short but full skirt . It was very classic yet subtly sexy which is why she had chosen it and the pink because she knew that Ron liked her in the color.

Fourth year after their argument at the Yule ball, he had off hand remarked how the color suited her which she knew meant he found her attractive in it .

However, it didn't matter because Ron wouldn't be appreciating it but she loved the dress so it was all that mattered. She had no interest in Cormac's thoughts on the matter.

It was one date and the last as far as she was concerned .

She brushed her curls, glancing out of the window and wished things had been different .

Oh well it must be easier for him to pretend nothing had changed between them.

Easier to be with a girl like Lavender who was gorgeous and fun.

Hermione wasn't that kind of girl and would never be.

" Hermione ," Parvarti entered their room," shouldn't you be getting ready ?"

" I suppose so ," says a quiet Hermione ," I thought Ginny was going to help me with my hair. I suppose she got caught up with Dean ….."

" Well with that girl it is hard to tell," speculated Parvarti," I can help "

" I wouldn't want to impose on you," says Hermione ," I am sure Lavender wouldn't appreciate her best friend assisting the enemy, Parvarti but thank you "

" Lavender is studying with Professor Trelawney ," explained Parvarti," a special assignment on signs of the moon or something . Are you excited ? Cormac has been bragging about taking you to this for days, you know "

" I hadn't realized ," murmured Hermione ," I suppose it will be enjoyable "

"Here ," Parvarti held up the dress," let's get you dressed before I pretty your hair "

Hermione changed out of her clothes and into the pretty party dress, smoothing the skirt .

It really was a lovely dress.

" Cormac gets a bit carried away," mused Hermione ," it is just a date "

" To the biggest event of the season to those who were invited ," continued parvarti, ushering her into a seat so she could fix her hair ," and I think you are quite modest. Cormac is quite the catch, Hermione . I would think it would be thrilling that he is so obviously smitten with you …..I think he is handsome "

" Oh he is , I suppose ," says an uncertain Hermione ," and of course it is flattering. "

" A part of me is jealous ," went on the chatty girl," I adore Seamus but Cormac is a catch. It's fortunate that you are attracted to all the handsome blokes "

" I suppose so…" says Hermione , distracted.

" You are so modest, Hermione ," parvarti shook her head ," I would be going crazy "

" Cormac and I barely know one another " murmured Hermione , softly .

She wished desperately that Ginny would show up so she didn't have to pretend to be excited about this evening . Dread already filled the pit of her stomach and regret .

Unfortunately , she didn't have a Time Turner anymore and there was no going back.

Parvarti put her hair up , leaving curls loosely around the side , and making her look very soft and romantic .

" Thank you ," smiled a gracious Hermione," it looks lovely "

" Any time " agreed parvarti, ' oh, don't forget perfume "

She picked up the glass bottle of perfume from Hermione's dresser and sprit zed her .

Hermione closed her eyes as the familiar scent wafted softly over her . It was the perfume that Ron had given her for Christmas last year and that she hadn't worn in awhile .

She managed a wan smile , picked up her matching wrap and slipped into her heels.

" Is Cormac picking you up to escort you to the party , Hermione ?" inquired parvarti , curiously.

" No," answered Hermione , simply, " I am meeting him there "

With that, Hermione headed downstairs , pausing in the common room and stopping to gaze forlornly at the fire crackling in the grate . It looked welcoming and comfortable.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice that Ron was alone in the room until he spoke.

" Hermione "

She turned at the sound of his voice and pressed her lips together , tightly .

He looked so good in a pair of jeans and a grey jumper .

" Ron " Her voice was cool and even even though she felt her nerves shake.

He rubbed his hands on his jeans and took a step towards her . It seemed like it had been such a long time since they had actually talked and she looked so beautiful.

Ron felt his pulse speed up and the lovely scent of her perfume invaded his senses.

Roses .

" You look ….just lovely " Ron found his voice ," beautiful , really "

She bit her lip and nodded." Thank you but you shouldn't say such a thing," managed Hermione , tersely,' your girlfriend would be quite furious with you "

" Probably, " conceded Ron, his heart pounding furiously against his ribcage," but Lav isn't here . That is a new dress….I mean, I haven't ever seen it on you "

' Yes ," says Hermione , wondering why she was standing here talking to him," I bought it for the party. I….my date is waiting and I shouldn't keep Cormac waiting "

" Let the bloke wait ," Ron took another step, " I ….can we talk, Hermione ?"

Her heart did somersaults but she knew it wasn't a good idea no matter how much she wanted it with her whole being . He was still dating Lavender .

They still hadn't talked in ages and he hadn't cared too up until now.

She should be running as fast as she could away from Ron Weasley .

" No," declared Hermione , coolly ." I think we have talked plenty, Ron '

With that, Hermione pulled her wrap closer as if protecting herself and walked briskly out of the common room, leaving Ron all alone .

" Hermione "

Ron closed his eyes, still smelling the roses in the air and he missed her .

Outside the portrait, Hermione bit her lip and tried to get a rein on her emotions.

Why, oh why, did Ron pick now to decide he wanted to talk to her ?

Now there would be absolutely no way she could get through slug horn's party without recalling how his blue eyes had stared at her so clear and that he thought she looked lovely. A part of her didn't want to believe that he meant it but she knew he did .

God, she really missed Ron so much.


	11. Chapter 12

The night of the official Slug Club Christmas party came and those that had made his inner circle dressed in their best formal wear and proceeded to Professor' Slughorn's office in Slyytherin. Harry tugged at his tie at his throat decided it would be more uncomfortable wearing the damn thing than actually enduring the party itself and so he yanked it off stuffing it into his pocket of his black dress robes as he met Luna at the staircase.

" Luna ," acknowledged Harry, noticing in strictly male fashion that she had taken the time to purchase a new frock and her silvery blue eyes had the palest shimmer of eye make-up," you look very nice. Is that a new dress? I don't think I remember it.."

Luna wore a short shimmery pink dress with layers of frothy silver lace at the curved neckline and the bodice dropped at her waist with another layer of lace above her knees.

Her palest blonde curls swung loose except for the sides which were pulled back by her mothers silver combs. Instead of her usual vegetable earrings , silver stars bobbed from her ears .

" Why, yes it is," answered Luna as they took the stairs together ," I just love how soft and sort of mysterious the silver is. Ginny helped me make it .We converted this from a dress of Hermione 's that she never wore and the lace belonged to me. We simply dyed it ."

She paused to look at him." Do you suppose Neville will be pleased ? Not that boys take such stock in new dresses and such but I wanted to surprise him …"

A wide grin crossed Harry's mouth. " Luna ," admitted Harry, truthfully," Neville would have to be completely blind not to find you attractive in that dress"

Luna squeezed his fingers." Thank you, Harry. You are a very dear friend to us both," muttered Luna ," I am a quite fortunate girl to find Neville or perhaps we found one another. I haven't decided exactly how that works but you know , most boys would be horribly mad if their girlfriend was asked to a party by their friend "

Harry shook his head , once more surprised by how truly similar Neville and Luna were .

' Neville is cool, I guess," said Harry ," he ought to be there actually though I suppose you probably already know that. Wait until you get a load out of his waiter get up, Luna.

He looks real….polished "

" I have always thought my boyfriend is very handsome ," mused Luna , taking in the large red and orange lanterns hanging down the wide hall. " I don't believe I have ever been to this part of the castle before. It looks quite festive and I never actually considered the Slytherin House to be anything but cold. Perhaps professor Slughorn isn't nearly as bad as Professor Snape ….."

" Just different, I think," replied Harry , who had been assigned by Dumbledore the task of getting to know the new Potions teacher to procure a memory they needed.

So far his attempts hadn't gotten him any memories just one very irritated teacher .

" Romilda Vane was quite unhappy that you asked me to this party," confessed Luna as an after-thought," she has set her sights on you. She is very loud about it "

" That is what Hermione told me too ," Harry couldn't help but to stand a little straighter. He had no intrest in the 4th year girl , of course, might have actually only spoken to her in the halls once or twice but it was flattering ," I mean, she warned me "

They stopped at the double doors that were the spacious suite of professor Slug horn.

" Here we are, Luna '

Luna placed a soft hand on his arm to stop him. " Harry," Luna's voice was earnest ," wait just a moment, please. Now that your eyes are finally open , I have something I must tell you…Ginny fancies you"

Harry could only stare at her and wonder. " Ginny is my friend ," said Harry, plainly," that is all. It is nice that you want to play matchmaker, Luna , and I appreciate it but Dean might not be happy with your efforts "

"Hardly anyone is truly happy now ," said Luna in a quiet way," the hearts are all in the wrong places. It is all so very clear but everyone is simply ignoring them "

" If you say so, Luna ' said Harry, taken back by her prediction.

Having said what she had wanted, they entered the party and found it bedecked for the holiday. Colorful, round balloons and lanterns hung from the ceilings between yards of pale green material throughout the room. A cherry sideboard was overflowing with a smorgasbord of meat pies, leg of lamb, turkey, roasted potatoes, turnips, and dozens of delicious desserts from an elaborate pudding cake to tiny chocolates filled a table near the entry. Guests mingled easily in the room, students and former students alike, it appeared had been invited. He wondered if Gwengog Jones from the Holyhead Harpies would make an appearance -she was Ginny's favorite Quidditch player on the team, and he knew she would be excited at a chance to talk to her.

If Ginny came tonight, that is, and he hoped that she did .

Professor Horace Slug horn , a rotund man dressed in a smart tweed suit and elegant dress robes, spotted him upon his entrance. " Harry , my boy," greeted Horace ," come in, come in. So glad that you could make it " He glanced idly to the young woman beside him" You brought a date, I see, and whom would this be, Harry ?"

In his clever mind, he had linked Harry Potter with Hermione Granger because naturally she was a brilliant witch and he needed a smart woman to handle his celebrity status.

This was a bit disappointing .

" Good evening, sir," replied Harry, cordially ," I wouldn't miss it for the world. May I introduce my friend, Luna Lovegood, Professor "

He waited a moment then added ," Her father runs the newspaper ,The Quibbler "

Luna was the soul of the party. " Nice to meet you, Professor Slughorn," said Luna ," oh, if you're trying to place me, I am in your 5th year Potions class with Ginny Weasley "

" Of course, of course ," smiled professor Slughorn," tell me , your father is Xenopillous Love good . Am I correct ? He runs some very colorful articles in his little rag "

Harry sent a sidelong look at his friend and noticed her nostrils flare up at the insult.

This was going to be much more interesting than he ever suspected .

" The Quibbler is a well respected paper, Sir," added Harry ," you know, I gave Luna 's father an interview last year "

" Daddy just writes the truth ," cut in Luna on a tear," perhaps you aren't partial to it since you know the editor of the Daily Prophet . I see he is over there, drinking some mead. Our sales have actually risen since Harry allowed us to print his story and we always speak the truth. Unlike the Daily Prophet who is under the thumb of the Ministry so they accept all of their lies .."

"very strong words, young lady ," countered Horace , surprised at the conviction in her voice," the Daily Prophet is a very reputable newspaper "

" only if you buy into the lies and the propaganda that they print ," stated Luna, calmly," the Quibbler is the voice of the people "

" Very true,Luna ," agreed Harry, smiling at her , impressed with her constant eloquence when stating the truth .Most people only looked on the surface that was Luna so they missed everything that was good about her .It was a shame, actually.

" You agree with your friend, Harry ?" questioned Horace, taken a back by this turn.

" I do," answered Harry, politely ," you'll find, Sir, that Luna makes a lot of sense '

GT

Across the room in a small alcove sectioned off from the party ,Hermione questioned her sanity in choosing to wear the short if not a bit sexy pink dress she had picked out when she had first asked Ron to be her date . Now however, she felt as if it had been the wrong choice and that anything from her closet might have been the wiser choice.

Cormac couldn't seem to take his eyes from the hint of cleavage that the bodice alluded to and truly it was just a hint as it wasn't overt . It was classic , subtly sexy and very much Hermione Granger, the young woman.

The dangerous gleam in his eyes made her uncomfortable .Very much so .

" I think we should join the others " muttered Hermione , quietly .

" No need for that now that we are all alone over here ," said Cormack , reaching out to touch her pale skin of her shoulder ," glad you finally came to your senses and realized I was the bloke for you."

" I haven't realized no such thing ," Hermione backed into the bookcase ," and take your hands off of me, Cormack "

He flashed her a cocky grin " You look good in something other than those prim little jumpers you wear, Granger " He cocked his eyebrows at her in what he considered his most dashing way as other girls tended to swoon over him .

Hermione stepped back from his touch." We..we don't know each other well enough for you to be speaking with me ..like that, Cormack ," countered Hermione , peering over the width of his broad shoulders into the crowd of the party, searching for Harry.

Cormac reached out, snaking a hand around her waist and yanked her against him.

" I say that we fix that bit of business right now, Hermione ," His breath hot against her ear as he felt her stiffen up," I know you want me too "

Hermione froze and pushed at his chest." I..I don't want you," says Hermione ," take your bloody hands off of me, Cormack ! You have no right to be groping me ! Let go !"

" You're a sly one, Hermione ," replied Cormac, unphased by her protest ,' that is what I like about you. Don't play hard to get now ..we're past that, darling "

His other hand wound into her hair , trying to pull the pins out and her curls fell against her shoulders in a tangle ," there now, let us have a kiss "

Hermione hit his chest " let me go or I will practice my nonverbal on you right now "

Cormac chuckled , turned on by her good girl act. " Mistletoe , Hermione "

As she beat on his chest which was thick and solid from Quidditch work outs , Cormac plundered her mouth , assaulting her lips , and Hermione bit his lip. He let out a yelp of surprise as she brought her high heel down on his foot as she aimed a knee for whatever body part was nearest as he loosened his hold on her. Hermione let out a relieved sigh and ran back out into the crowded party , eager to get lost in it .

Maybe it would be best if she found a corner and got herself put back together.

Ginny had been right.

McLaggen was the farthest thing from a gentleman .Could she had been any more stupid to have invited him?

Well it was her own doing and she had no one to blame but herself .

Catching sight of Harry being photographed with professor Slughorn, Hermione bent low and slid into one of the nooks that was hidden behind red drapery panels . She ran a hand through her hair, trying to tidy it and smoothed the full skirt of her knee length dress as she took deep, gulping breaths.

She was fine .

She had only been mildly accosted and she should have decked Cormac.

He would have thought twice about groping her if she had hit him in the face.

Lost in her thoughts , she never noticed Harry come up beside her .

" Hermione ,' asked Harry, taking in her dishcelved appearance ," what are you doing in here ? What happened to you ?" he noticed the strap had slid off her shoulder and she deftly fixed it and her hair looked sort of a mess. He had a feeling this would have something to do with McLaggen.

" Nothing ," dismissed Hermione , pressing her lips together, fretfully," I've just..escaped from Cormac..left him under the mistletoe , that is "

Harry gaped at her " McLaggen is slime. Hermione , are you mad ? "

" I am aware of that ," Hermione shot him a pained look," he has more tentacles than a Snarfugluff plant. Besides I just knew that Cormac would annoy Ron the most and I considered Terry Boot briefly but I guess I wasn't thinking it through .."

" Boot ," repeated Harry , amazed at the lengths his normally sensible friend would go to because of a wounded heart ," Hermione , this isn't like you "

Hermione chewed on her bottom lip. " This would have been our first date "

" Well, not speaking to him and going out with Cormac isn't going to make things change between you and Ron " pointed out Harry, quietly .

Hermione looked away as she brushed absently at her fallen bangs.

" They have already changed or have you forgotten ," says Hermione in a tiny voice," and for all of our talks , I don't see you forcing Ginny's hand or fighting for her "

" The thing with Ginny," muttered Harry, " I don't even know what it is. "

Hermione's smile was wan. " Now we're both lying to ourselves, Harry ' out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Cormac striding across the room and panic welled inside .

" Bloody hell," cursed Hermione ," he's coming . Don't tell him where I'm going , please "

" Hermione ," said an exasperated Harry ," this is ridiculous "

However he was talking to the air as Hermione had ducked and was skirting across the room to get lost within the partygoers.

" Potter," called out Cormack , joining him," thought I saw my slippery little minx over here with you . Where did my girl take off to ?"

" Oh, you mean ,Hermione ," replied Harry ," I think she went to powder her nose "

" Feisty thing Granger is ," said Cormac, elbowing him conspiratorially," never figured that one would play hard to get. Sure is a knock out tonight when she isn't all buttoned up and has got a hell of a body, if you know what I mean "

Harry bit the inside of his jaw." Cormac," reminded Harry, grimly," Hermione is like a sister to me. You shouldn't be telling me these things about her ….."

He chuckled as if Harry was joking with him. " Funny, Potter ," acknowledged Cormac," she like a sister to Weasley too then ? The moron actually threatened me ..like I wouldn't be able to take down a lily livered coward like Ron Weasley "

Ron threatened McLaggen ?

He hadn't even made a noise yesterday about the party , come to think about it .

This was a new development .

" Ron defiantly doesn't think of Hermione that way ," corrected a pleased Harry ," not sisterly at all. Trust me on this . I wouldn't make him angry, Cormack , because Ron has a hell of a temper "

" Right ," said McLaggen, unphased by this information," not worried about him. Don't get your knickers in a twist, Potter, your sister is in good hands, if you get my drift "

Harry was afraid that he did ." Cormac, I am warning you about messing with Hermione "

Just as the curtain was pulled open and a staring Professor Snape appraised both him and McLaggen.

Brilliant .Snape. The last person he had wanted to see tonight .

" Mclaggen ," said Snape," go find your date. I want a word with Potter "

Harry watched as Hermione's date went off to find her and hoped she stayed hidden or had already left the party entirely .

" I really should go find my date as well " started Harry , noticing that Luna was involved in a conversation with the vampire Sanguine .

" I think your date can do without you for a minute ," replied Snape, curtly ," Now I have been asked to give you a missive from professor Dumbledore "

" Where is he ?" asked Harry, realizing that he hadn't seen the headmaster in several days.

" He is traveling ," informed Snape," he simply wanted to wish you a good holiday "

" Thank you,Sir " managed Harry , wondering where Dumbledore had gone but knew that the new Dark Arts teacher wouldn't tell him. He was amazed he had even been polite.

Then he noticed a door open and wavy copper hair and beautiful skin filled his vision as Ginny eneteredthe all ready in full swing party. A slow smile spread across his face as his eyes locked with hers in a space of a heartbeat. When did seeing her start making him tight in the chest and losing his breath all at once ?

She overwhelmed him.

Harry found himself sidestepping around Snape and striding toward her . She'd done something different to all those strands of fire , it seemed to fall into soft waves across her shoulder. Her dress was similar to a cut of a sundress except it was a dark green velvet with little rhinestones scattered across the bodice. She wore the single ruby pendant that Fred and George had given her on her thirteenth birthday.

Sadness filled her candy coated eyes and he knew that Dean had put it there .

He seriously wanted to hurt Dean right now .Maybe he and Ron could go together and beat up Dean and McLaggen -that would probably feel pretty good , he imagined .

Harry turned slightly , trying to catch sight of Hermione because he didn't like the idea of his best friend having to fight off McLaggen but he didn't see her anywhere .

Good , maybe she wised up and left already.

He sideswiped Slughorn before he could get drawn into another not so illuminating conversation and made his way over to the girl of his all waking thoughts .

" Your kind of making it a habit ," teased Harry," this being late, I mean "

Her expression was rueful." Don't tell Mum then ," answered Ginny with a weak smile ," have I missed anything exciting then?"

" No," said Harry ," you look..pretty, Ginny " AAAAAH! Why did he tell her ?

Color bloomed across her face, bringing out her dimples. " You…you've never said that to me before " murmured Ginny in nearly a whisper . Shock and hope lit within her , everywhere .They had been dancing around each other ,a lot ,lately .

His voice was teasing ," Well, you were eleven then, Gin"

" I haven't been 11 for some time now, Harry " stated Ginny, firmly .

" I know " said Harry , absently touching where her shoulder was bare. Her skin was very soft -hmm, he imagined that it would be and he hadn't been wrong .

Ginny's eyes went wide all of the sudden and he thought he had overstepped -hell, she did still have a boyfriend even though the sod treated her poorly .

Just because he wanted her , he kept forgetting that Ginny wasn't his girl .

He dropped his hand and saw her tense up." Where is Dean ?"

The mood switched from playful to somber as Ginny tapped her nails against the table that stood between them. " I don't know ," snapped Ginny, grimly," I waited and he decided to not join me . I'm not sure I should even care where Dean Thomas is right now "

Her relationship with Dean had been deteriorating for some time now , escalating farther into that endless downward spiral with each fight . She was growing wary of him , of it, and of them. She had tried to let it go, suggest it even but Dean wouldn't budge.

He only held on tighter to her.

"Oh" was all that came out of her mouth.

That sounded pretty positive to Harry's ears.

" I only really came for Hermione's sake ," added Ginny in afterthought ," have you seen her ?"

She wished that Hermione had used all that good sense in her brain and had came with Harry but no, her friend had wanted to hurt Ron the way she was so obviously hurting .

" Last I saw of her , she was running away from Mclaggen " confessed Harry

Ginny shook her head, violently. " This is all of Ron's fault , you know . The bloody , yellow bellied turnip for brains sod of a brother of mine ! This was supposed to be their real first date ! Hermione chose that dress because she knows, knows how much my prat of a brother loves her in pink . He admitted it once , you know "

Harry fought back a laugh. It really wasn't funny and hadn't Hermione basically said just that same thing to him.

" Are we all sure that Ron knew all of this ?" asked Harry, lightly.

" You were there ," reminded Ginny," Hermione asked him, the prat said yes. She looks just beautiful and its all wasted on a stupid creep like Mclaggen "

" How is it that we always circle back round to Ron and Hermione ?" asked Harry

Because im too frightened to tell you how I feel about you .

" We both care about them " answered Ginny, instead.

A slow, lovely melody came through the wireless as Ginny tilted her head to listen to its soft refrain. " Oh, I just love how pretty this song is ' muttered Ginny, smiling .

He could do it, just a dance , he could put his arms around her ..he wanted too.

" Would you..like to dance with me ?" started Harry, quietly as their eyes met and held.

" I would love to, Harry " admitted Ginny, her heart pounding furiously against her chest.

She slipped naturally in his arms as Harry rested his hands on her waist, cautious until Ginny moved closer to him." There now, this is much better , I think "

Harry gulped a lump in his throat as they moved around the room, staying closer to the door where they could dance with more privacy.

He didn't want to share this moment with anyone but Ginny.

" I do believe your dancing has improved, Harry " teased Ginny, lightly .

" I think its because I have a better dance partner is more likely , Gin "

Ginny took this as an opportunity to wrap her arms around his neck and the heat between them sizzled along the edges of their skin. Neither one could pretend they hadn't felt it.

It was real and alive and more than just an attraction.

" I don't think your doing so bad at all …" Ginny licked her lips, nervously .

" I don't suppose I dance any better than your boyfriend …" blurted Harry, throwing a dash of cold water over the moment and ruining it while he was at it .

" I was rather enjoying dancing with you, Harry , but thanks for the reminder "

" Ginny, I never meant it like that," Harry tried to backpedal as she moved out of his arms ," I don't even know why I said that…but I cant do this .You have Dean "

Before Ginny could inform him of where that relationship stood, the door was shoved open and Mr. Filch, the caretaker ( who was serving as a guard and bouncer for tonight's festivities ) burst in, hauling a mortified Draco Malfoy into the center of the room.

Draco looked mortified and furious.

Ginny and Harry's conversation came to a standstill as he turned to listen to the interruption. He still believed that Draco was a Death Eater .

" Mr. Filch," approached Horace ," what is the means of this interruption ?"

" I discovered this boy lurking in the upstairs corridor ," informed Filch, as Draco shook loose of him and attempted to recover from the embarrassment ," he claims to have an invitation to your party "

" Let go," snarled Draco, straightening his dark suit ," I wasn't invited ! I was trying to gate crash, okay..'

Filch's face appeared overcome with apparent glee with the potential of being able to punish a student. " Your in big trouble, you are ! The headmaster said no nighttime prowling round the castle unless you've gotten permission!"

' That's alright, Argus ," said Slughorn, waving a hand as if to dismiss it," it is Christmas .Just this once we'll forgo the punishment .Draco, you may stay "

Filch shuffled off, clearly perturbed and disappointed with the situation.

" Thank you, sir ," puffed Draco, sucking up to Slughorn," I'm grateful. I am sure that you are familiar with my mother ..Narcissa Black Malfoy "

" Cousin to Regulus and Sirius ," said Horace, helping himself to another glass of mead ," lovely woman. Didn't have her in my club though I got her baby sister, Andromeda "

Harry turned from Ginny to watch Malfoy in action, puzzling over why Draco would risk the embarrassment .The sucking up wasn't anything new as he had witnessed Malfoy doing that to Snape throughout the years.

Except something looked off -why did Malfoy look ill?"

" I'd like a word with you, Draco " cut in Snape , his tone brooking no argument .

" Now Severus, " started Horace ," be kind. It is the holiday and its only natural that Draco here would want to attend my party. There was clearly no harm done "

" I am his Head of House and I shall decide how hard to be on him ," stated Snape then to the Slytherin," follow me, Draco "

They left with Snape leading the way , a resentful Draco reluctantly following behind him. Harry set his jaw at the opportunity this was for him to prove to both Ron and Hermione that he had been right about Malfoy all along.

Ginny recognized the look of determination on his face and knew that he wasn't centered on her anymore, understood that he wouldn't be able to focus on anything else.

"Just go, Harry ," urged Ginny, touching his hand," I know you want to"

Harry rubbed her arm, just a quick caress that had her heart tripping over in joy.

"Thanks, Ginny," said Harry, " save me another dance. I wont be long…."

Then he was gone and she felt oddly bereft once more .Ginny closed her eyes, blew out a shaky breath and helped herself to a chocolate ball.

" Maybe I should have volunteered to go with him . Brilliant ,Ginerva, just bloody brilliant thinking !"

GT

Across the room, Luna found herself engaged in a conversation with the much talked about vampire ,Sanguine, whom was an acquaintance of the Potions teacher and most of the students seemed to be hesitant to approach him. Luna felt it was rather silly.

It wasn't as if he was going to goon a bloodsucking spree during the party and drain everyone's blood .

" My father and I were very impressed with your book, Mr. Sanguine ," chattered Luna , politely," I've read it twice since daddy bought me a copy last year "

" Thank you,' said the vampire," I am pleased that you are not frightened of me "

" Oh, your welcome ," picked up Luna ," and why would I be afraid of you? Most vampires are no different than the rest of us and you should be able to work and have a family just like everyone else. It's a shame most people still believe that you are just like Dracula …"

"Evil takes many forms ," added Sanguine ," most of us acknowledge the old ways these days but few vampires follow it anymore. Perhaps 35% or so still kill for the pure enjoyment as most of us are more civilized these days "

" Oh I agree," said Luna ," and I think your book will open a lot of eyes. After all, the vampires in this community need more exposure especially considering your awful Rootgut problem. Tell me, have many of your friends taken ill?"

The vampire threw back his head and chuckled at her moxie. " You are a delight , Miss. Love good ," acknowledged Sanguine ," though I haven't a clue of this sickness "

" Daddy discovered it plaguing a five year old vampire boy and his parents last summer " explained Luna in all serious manner ," it was quite heart rendering . Of course maybe you don't have relatives in Albania as that is where the Rootgut was found . Daddy published a three page spread on it in the Quibbler . I could send you a copy of it , the article, if you would like "

Sanguine inclined his head in a slight bow her way," I would very much like "

" Hey ,Longbottom," called Blaise zabini, a dark haired Slytherin , tossing the remaining contents of his wine across the stiff white of Neville's waiter jacket ," watch where your going instead of your little Loony's ass, will you? Some of us were wondering is she a good shag ? Or haven't you done anything more than snog the loon ?"

Neville dropped the silver tray filled with elegant wine stems on the table , wine sloshing out of them, and whirled to glare at him. " You watch your step," warned Neville," you'll not be disrespectful about my girlfriend . I may not have your build but I sure as hell am faster with a spell than you are, Zabini"

Blaise laughed ," You could try. You are still rubbish, Longbottom. Hanging with Potter doesn't make you any cooler than he is ..and one more thing, your girlfriend might be nuttier than a Muggle fruitcake but I'd do her. Soft voice of hers is a turn on…"

Neville's wand was pointed at the Slytherin with a precision neither had imagined .

" If you ever get near Luna , if you even put a finger on her , I will jelly jinx you so fast and feed your balls to a hippogriff that I happen to know . If you think that this is funny or that I wont do it , you ought to ask your pals Crabbe and Goyle what I did to them for hiding her shoes "

His lips curled in disgust because he recognized that unlike some of the other blokes , Zabini was serious. It was no secret that he was shagging Draco Malfoy's girlfriend Pansy Parkinson right under his friends nose and he wouldn't put it pass the sod to try to catch his Luna unaware.

Neville wasn't about to let that happen.

Blaise could only laugh and held his hands in front of him as in defeat. " Just jesting with you, Longbottom," said Blaise ," I wouldn't want her, not after you'd been with her "

With that , the Slytherin joined the twin girls from his own House near the food buffet.

Neville heaved a sigh , yanked the white gloves he had been forced to wear off and stuffed them in his jacket pocket , combed his hair back, and regained his equilibrium .

He noticed that his girlfriend was still chittering on in that cute way of hers with the vampire , probably about vampire rights or Rootgut. His Luna was as serious about that as seemingly as Hermione Granger was with her elf rights campaign.

Grinning in what he thought of as his suave move, Neville cut across the room , hooked his arm tightly around Luna's waist , all the while muttering an apology and whisking her way to a secluded corner that held the mistletoe.

" Neville ," Luna looked up at him in surprise ," what are you doing ?"

He pulled her closer to him, the frothy lace around her neck brushing against his chest.

" Romancing you " stated Neville , smoothly. He had thought this way was best.

Luna lifted her silvery blue eyes at him and her lips curled, seductively, around the corners." Ooh, your being all forceful now," murmured Luna, slipping an arm around his neck," and on the job as well. This is a new side to my kind boyfriend …"

He nibbled on her lips, not caring what anyone thought . " Is it working ?"

Luna giggled as she toyed with the gold buttons on his waiters jacket. " Oh, very much indeed," whispered Luna in his ear," it isn't often you steal me away "

" I about gave up on picking up tips from the guys in the dorm ," admitted Neville with a lopsided grin," Ron's using his moves on the wrong girl, I'm not real clear that Dean and Harry aren't going to murder each other in their sleep , and Seamus is an ass "

Luna laughed and traced the faint scar on his nose , a reminder of their battle of the Ministry last summer . " I like this look on you," admitted Luna, honestly ," tell me, have you gotten many tips this evening ?"

The starkness of the white suit against the rich brown of his hair was such a contrast and gave him a different look. It also emphasized his arms and muscles -granted he didn't care to play Quidditch like most of the young men here but his extra hours pulling Mandrakes and repotting the Tentacullar plants had indeed paid off .

The boyish look he had been replaced by the man he had become .

" None that I'd care to repeat to you," Neville moved his lips over hers," you look like a sea witch and a wood nymph rolled into one tonight , Luna "

" Then you like my dress ?" teased Luna , kissing him back, playfully.

" Yes , you look lovelier than I've ever seen ," expressed Neville , feeling so sure of them and of himself at the moment ," can I talk you into the greenhouse, Lun?"

Her eyes twinkled ." I don't think we'd have to do much talking there, Neville "

" Good," Neville grabbed her hand and directed them towards the front of the room," you don't mind that your deserting Harry. Do you?"

Luna scanned the room, not finding Harry among the partygoers, just noticing a forlorn looking Ginny by herself near the entrance, nibbling on sweets .

" Harry must have already left ," noted Luna ," but I am sure he would understand. It was only a friend date, after all "

" Probably not ," surmised Neville, not wanting her to know that he might have mentioned his plan to his friend," too bad he didn't stick around. Ginny looks down right miserable …."

" Her heart is torn in different directions ," said Luna, easily ," and the men in her life aren't making it easy for her. We should speak with her before we leave "

She stopped and squeezed his hand " Do you get to keep the jacket ? I find it a rather rakish look on you, my handsome rake '

Just like the silly schoolgirl that she was but it didn't matter because she was the only one that saw the new ease of confidence in her quiet plant man.

Harry held his head higher , his grin a bit more devil may care this year while Ron had the air of confidence he'd never had before and a new cockiness as well. So if her Neville was more at ease with himself and a bit more rakish, it added to the appeal.

Neville tugged at his collar, suddenly hot." I'll be sure and buy it after tonight "

Hell, he would buy a dozen white jackets if she asked him too.

" I am crazy about you, Luna '

She tipped her head back to kiss the side of his mouth " I'm crazy right back, Neville "

" Are you two actually sneaking out of this whirligig of fun they call a party ?" Ginny spied them bantering and kissing as they neared and couldn't resist teasing them.

" You caught us ," grinned Neville ," we don't think we will be missed "

" It's quite daring ," said Luna in hushed tones ," we're going for a snog, Ginny "

Ginny found herself laughing at her friends no nonsense tone of the matter.

Leave it to Luna .

"I'm sure that will be preferable to this party,' responded Ginny, dryly," I'm wondering why im even still here . I haven't seen Harry or Hermione in a half hour "

"Oh I thought I saw Hermione hiding behind a bookcase a while ago," added Neville ," and I reckon it wasn't long after , I offered Harry some wine but haven't seen them since "

" They probably both left ," sighed Ginny," I just expected Harry might return is all "

She fiddled with her necklace," I should probably leave as well "

" Still if you see Harry ," brought up Luna ," you'll apologize for me "

" If I see him, sure ," stated Ginny, wistfully . Luna and Neville were so in love. She had actually predicted it and had even urged Luna earlier about giving Neville a chance and now they were so cute .Cute and perfect for one another .

" Just not the snogging part, please " implored Neville with pleading eyes.

" Just get out of here , you two," encouraged Ginny," why are you wasting precious seconds talking to me ? I haven't seen either of you all night so go!"

Not one to argue and eager to spend some precious private time with the young woman that had captured his heart , Neville pulled Luna out of the Christmas party and into the dark hall that belonged to Slytherin and spun her back against the wall, feeling more bold than he had ever before .

This was their holiday, they had a holiday together .

Her eyes widened as he took her lips in a whirling , dizzying, utterly spellbinding kiss beneath the colorful paper lanterns and the twinkling fairy lights .

Harry rounded the corner, still puzzling over this Unbreakable Vow he had overheard Snape tell Malfoy that he had taken for him, and then skidded to a complete halt at the obvious intimacy in the kiss between the formerly shy Neville and the loony Luna , and found himself smiling at them.

There , two of his friends , were happy and together , and he couldn't have been happier for them. Now if only the rest of them could get it together .

Not wanting to spoil their moment , Harry dropped his hands to the side and turned back around, deciding to make a detour to the astronomy tower to think.

The party forgotten and unaware of how hopeful the young woman awaited his return .


	12. Chapter 13

"Luna ,"Neville barreled down the aisle of the Great Hall, searching for the pale blonde hair of his girlfriend .She was sitting at a table having a late breakfast with Ginny and Hermione ," Luna, there you are. I thought you were looking for Wracksport down at Hagrid's but he said that you hadn't been down there .."

" Oh, I thought we could search for them together ," explained Luna," and then the girls invited me for a spell of girl talk this morning "

She took in his appearance; the mussed up dark brown hair, there was a new tear on the sleeve of his Gryffindor tee shirt, and dirt smeared on his jeans.

For an always tidy Neville, Luna found her heart skipping a beat at how cute he was.

" Oh "

" What happened to you, Neville ," quipped Ginny," you haven't been letting Goyle beat up on ..have you ?" Malfoy's sidekicks liked to bully Neville until recently .

" No," answered Neville," I'm not afraid of Crabbe and Goyle any longer "

" He had extra credit with Professor Sprout ," chimed in Hermione ," how many points did you earn Gryffindor this morning , Neville ?"

" Twenty five ," answered Neville, modestly then turned to his girlfriend ," Luna, are you still blending the essence of lavender with the nettle ? Or did you change it to the rosemary for clarity ?"

Ginny and Hermione exchanged pleased smiles at the language of the couple.

" Yes," Luna stood up and wiped a speck of dirt from his chin," I still haven't decided what I need to make the salve more malleable but we talked of this already. What is it , Neville ?"

" I had to help repod the Snarguluff plants," continued an excited Neville, taking her hand into his own," and then it just hit me , why couldn't we use one of the pods ?"

" Why would you even want to?" teased Ginny, good naturally.

Luna brightened " We could , I suppose. Might be a bit tricky with its tentacles but the nettle just might work .of course, we might want to consider something more powerful to counter if there would happen to be side effects.."

Neville smiled warmly, eyes only for the ray of happiness in his life. " Hyssop "

Luna reached up and hugged him." It could just work " smiled Luna, dreamily.

" Oh for heavens sake, " spoke up Hermione," take off already, you two "

Neville and Luna stared at her with apparent concern written on their faces.

" Girl talk isn't likely to disappear ," Hermione tried to make light ," and it's a lovely Saturday at that, Luna. It is perfectly alright if you want to spend time with Neville "

" She is right ," added Ginny," our feelings wont be hurt in the least. Go "

She caught Neville's eye and couldn't resist winking at her friend . " I happen to know of an empty broom closet on the fifth floor, Neville "

Color flooded his face in embarrassment at her comment " uh, Ginny , I don't think "

" What ? You two were all over each other at Slughorn's party and you are dating " teased Ginny," I was just being helpful "

" That was a bit different …" muttered Neville , under his breath.

"he's cute when you embarrass him," Luna handed Neville her oversized bag," perhaps us girls can chat more before everyone leaves for the holiday"

" That is a deal," encouraged Ginny," now go play with your boyfriend "

She watched the couple link hands and walk from the hall together .

" They are adorable together ," sighed Ginny, taking a sip of her tea. She was currently backed in the state of up in arms on the exact nature of her relationship with Dean these days. She had discovered that they didn't have that much in common and it seemed that they were spending less time together these days .She didn't want to cling like a leech to Dean but she had never been adverse for just time between them.

Whether they chose it to snog or discuss Quid ditch ,she didn't care.

Just so they moved farther towards each other rather than backwards.

Right now was a prime example as she was spending her free day catching up with her friends while Dean was in Hogs Meade Christmas shopping with Seamus.

Hermione brought her out of her reverie. " Neville just lights up like fairy lights on a tree when he sees Luna. It is sweet , those two together and they seem to fit "

" Reminds me of someone else that I know ," taunted Ginny, reaching for a piece of toast.

" Oh you mean ,Harry when he sees you?" jibed Hermione , turning it around on her.

" He ..does not ," protested Ginny, mildly ," and I meant , you and the prat "

" Gin, I know you mean well," says Hermione ," and truly stop blaming yourself for what happened . It isn't anyone's fault .what happened between me and Ron isn't going to change our 's sad that Ron and I cant be friends any longer but that is how it is " She nearly choked on the sob that was lodged firmly in her throat " It's time for me to stop crying over him and get on with my life. That means spending the holiday at home "

" I understand ," said Ginny and she did ," I just wish it didn't have to come to this "

" Neither do I but I am not nearly as strong as you are, Ginny " admitted Hermione

Ginny didn't feel very strong these days. She felt scared to reach out for what she had always wanted and dreamed of ..what if the reality wasn't the same ?

" You cant mean that," cut in Ginny," you've always been his friend "

" Things change ," reminded Hermione , sharper than she intended ," he has "

No he hasn't ," insisted Ginny," It's all an act for Lavender..you know Ron "

" Not anymore , I don't …" muttered Hermione , uncertainty in her tone .

Ginny whirled her head noticing that Harry,Ron, who was being nearly dragged by Lavender , were heading directly for their table .

Hermione was going to bolt !

What did Harry think he was doing ? This wouldn't help matters!

" Hey," Harry slid in beside Ginny and sent her a sidelong glance ," I figured that you would be in Hogs Meade doing your Christmas shopping with Dean "

He couldn't help but notice that she looked especially appealing in a pair of jeans and a soft dark blue jumper. Ginny wore her hair loose .He decided he liked it best that way.

" Dean waited till the last minute before break," commented Ginny," I finished mine days ago "

Oh Merlin's Beard , she was shameless ! Openly flirting with Harry in the hall.

" Me, too," grinned Harry, hoping that she would be surprised by her present .

" This one," he jabbed an elbow towards Ron," finished his by owl express "

" I sooooo cannot wait to see what special gift my Won Won got me "

" Uh right ," Ron tried to catch Hermione's eye but she wouldn't look at him," Hermione "

" I have to go," Hermione rose ,awkwardly ," really , I forgot to send Mum that letter "

" It can wait ," tried Harry, futilely ," we just sat down, Hermione "

" Oh no," says Hermione , struggling to find a smile for her dearest friend ," honestly, Harry, it really cant. Then , you know, I think I have presents I forgot to wrap "

" Hermione " scolded Harry , knowingly . She had wrapped gifts two days ago.

" I am sorry ," apologized Hermione ," I'll talk to you later, Harry " She sent her friends wry smiles , hoped that they understood her cowardice and walked out of the hall.

" Hermione , wait a minute ," called Ron ," I need to talk to you "

She kept on walking , ignoring him, it would seem.

" Just let her go, darling ," said Lavender , icily .She hated Hermione Granger.

Ron turned, extracted his current girlfriend into a seat , then stated, firmly ," Lav, hang here with Harry and Ginny for a while. I have to talk to Hermione "

A pout spread across Lavender's full lips." Why, Won Won ? You know that I don't like that girl. I don't understand why you would have anything to say to her in the first place"

" Lav, please " begged Ron, annoyed by her constant stream of whining . He didn't wait for her to respond but took off rapidly, hoping Hermione hadn't gotten far.

Lavender seethed silently and met the amused gazes of Harry and Ginny.

" I suppose you two find this intriguing ," accused Lavender," Granger wants my Ron for her own .."

" Oh, really ," retorted Harry, sarcastically ," I would have never known that. Did you know about that, Ginny?"

" Hermione and Ron ," grinned Ginny, mischievously ," hadn't a clue "

" Your making fun of me ," challenged a put upon lavender ," don't think that I cant see through that nice act. It doesn't matter because I won Ron and he loves me , not her.

He wont be happy with you lot when I tell him how cruel you were to me "

Ron rounded the second corridor and finally caught sight of Hermione , her brown curls whipping about as she all but ran down the hall. He hadn't seen her run that fast since they'd been attacked by the Death Eaters back at the Ministry.

" Dammit, Hermione ," Ron reached out and grasped her arm ," stop for a bloody second ! "

Hermione froze, trapped by the sudden warmth of his touch then she jerked it away.

" Let go, Ron! " ordered Hermione , crossing her arms over her chest.

" Fine but I want to talk to you " said Ron, simply.

Just one regular conversation with her …that was it.

" Well, I don't want to talk to you ," says Hermione , coldly," I thought I had made that perfectly clear but perhaps I should have enunciated better. Go back to your girlfriend , Ron, as I am sure she'll be full of stimulating conversation for you "

She forced her feet to move, to step back from him. She was caught up in the spicy scent of Ron and outside of his presence in the Gryffindor common, she hadn't been in this close proximity to him for months .

It was sensory overload on her system. Hermione couldn't help but to notice the wonderful things Quidditch had done to his already rugged build or that he had nearly a bit of red stubble on his face making him look sexy.

As if the prat needed to be anymore handsome !

" Holiday is coming up ," brought up Ron , shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other ," Mum is expecting you, as usual "

He wanted her to spend Christmas at the Burrow with him and his family ?

Hermione could only stare incredulously at him." You cannot be serious "

" You always spend Christmas with us ," stated Ron," I spect Mum sent an owl already "

He just couldn't understand why she was making everything so bloody difficult lately.

It wasn't like Hermione , at all.

" I already sent an apology to your parents ," explained Hermione in what she hoped was a calm, level -headed tone ," I explained that with the war going on, I need to spend the holiday with my own parents .You and I are no longer friends . You cant expect me to spend a cheery Christmas with you this year, Ron. I cant and I wont "

It was as if someone had dropped an anvil on his chest and everything plummeted .

He had never once considered her not spending the holiday with him.

" Why are you acting this way ," asked a puzzled Ron," this isn't you, Mione "

She held out her hand in protest to his fond use of endearment for her .

" **NO, YOU DON'T HAVE A RIGHT TO CALL ME THAT ANYMORE !" **

Says Hermione with a strangled sob," God, Ron,…I ..I thought you and I could have….that after the Ministry , we started something ..special between us. I believed in you..in us…I believed that we had….I shouldn't have " She shook her head, almost violently .

" No,' Hermione turned resolute ," you don't deserve that . I wont do this any longer and I shouldn't be doing this now. You chose lavender over me. You love her . "

She wanted to scream at Ron to say something , anything but he was stunned .

" You love Lavender and I can see that now. I finally get that .End of games "

Ron couldn't have been more stunned if she had hit him in the face with a Bludger.

Did he love Lavender ?

Immediately , he went back to the shock and the fear of that night at the ministry hospital then the relief that Hermione was alright as he held her gently in his arms and how easy and right it felt to comfort her .

Everything had changed between them from that moment on .

" Hermione ," Ron tried to process through the confusion in his mind," you kissed Krum "

" Two years ago and five times too many ," shouted back Hermione , unaware of the tears that rolled unabashedly down her cheeks ," God , Ron, why do you keep throwing Krum in my face ? You didn't even care then and now..I don't ! "

She turned away from him to hide her tears " Just leave me alone "

Her tears weakened him. It tore viciously at him to see her hurt in anyway and he was the cause of her distress here . " Love , please don't cry ," pleaded Ron, instantly ," it's just that we need…we didn't ever actually agree to anything …..we never promised each other …"

Hermione closed her eyes and fought for her composure . Ron stepped forward as if to touch her and she shrank back from him. Love ..how easy the word had slipped from his tongue and oh, how wonderful it sounded to her romantic heart !

Said in the same kind, gentle way he had earlier and before this whole sad mess.

It would have been so much more simpler if she'd just fallen for Harry , but no, she had fallen irrovoccaiably , madly, hopelessly, passionately in love with Ron Weasley .

" Sweetheart ," broached Ron, truly scared by the hurt he saw in her brown eyes ," say something …this isn't how I want things …its bloody mad "

" I didn't think that we had to ," whispered Hermione ,' I honestly though ..it doesn't matter anymore because I was clearly wrong "

Ron watched her walk away from him and fought the desire to run after her.

Ron was in a lousy , rotten mood and there was little chance of it improving before he and Harry boarded the train in a couple of days for the Burrow. He blamed his dark mood on the fact that Hermione had informed him that no, she wouldn't be going home to spend this Christmas with him and his family.

They weren't friends any longer so it wasn't a possibility.

They weren't friends ? When did that happen ? He needed Hermione .

In truth , he'd figured that she would finally get over her mad and come home with him.

They always spent the holiday together , Hermione always spent the holiday with him.

Already there was a void in his heart along with this ache that they would be apart.

Ron also understood that he had in part brought this on himself by dating Lavender for these past three months and freezing Hermione out.

God , he missed Hermione !

He turned to look at Lavender , her big eyes beguiling at him as she held tight to him.

As always , she wanted his undivided attention and would pout until he gave into her.

All that adoration and snogging had been wild , at first, because it showed that she wanted him. After a time with her, it had become tiresome . Ron felt that having a conversation with her was a test of strength on his part because for as sexy and gorgeous Lavender was , talking wasn't high on her list of priorities .

Unless it was discussing every minute of their relationship or how the stars and charts that she believed in had predicted they would marry in 3 years and have only one child.

Ron wanted nothing to do with that and wasn't sure how to go about getting rid of her.

Lavender was the dramatic type of girl and he knew that she wouldn't make it easy for him. Which is probably why he hadn't chucked her last month .

" Won Won," spoke up lavender, glowering at him," what's the matter with you? We've been alone for nearly five minutes and you haven't said a word to me or even kissed me "

He had been distracted over Hermione Granger this whole week and it did nothing but infuriate her to no end.

Ron lifted her arms from his neck and strode away from her . He scrubbed a hand warily over his face and dared to look at his girlfriend -her eyes held a hint of suspicion and rage and her cheekbones were a bit puffed out.

Oh bloody hell, he had pissed her off !

" Just been doing some thinking about things ," admitted Ron,' I want to talk, Lav"

" Talk," repeated Lavender, moving to him and brushing her chest against him in a provocative manner ," but darling, there is so much more we could be doing besides ..talking . Especially since we'll be separated for a whole week for the holiday "

He grasped her shoulders , carefully, and separated them. He needed some distance.

" Cut it out, Lav," snapped Ron, his temper starting to flare ," I'm serious. Don't you ever just want to talk ?"

" Alright then," Lavender began to pace in front of him," I will tell you what is on my mind and we'll chat. Christmas is nearly upon us and how is it that you still don't care to explain to me why I cant spend it with you and your family ?"

" It's complicated ," admitted Ron, raking a hand through his red hair ," my family is being watched by Death Eaters, for one thing. It is dangerous and you could ..you might get hurt …"

Lavender placed her hand on his arm." You would protect me ," declared Lavender, tossing back her tresses ," I want to meet your family. It has been three fabulous months that we've been a couple and frankly, I feel it is way past "

" You already know Ginny and Fred and George ," scrambled Ron, not wanting to admit to her that he didn't want her at the Burrow. Instinctively he knew it would ruin it .

" Only not the rest of your family ," encouraged lavender , not one to be discouraged ," and it is high time that I met your parents . If we're to be married one day , Won Won, it is important that your mother and I are on the right foot about your career as well as important things such as the theme for our wedding "

Ron froze , unable to speak .Terror ate his gut at that idea and Hermione swam into focus in his mind so clearly and he blew out a breath. God, he needed one of his brothers to help him out of this mess!

He still didn't know how to handle it or Lavender .

" That's another thing ," picked up Ron, searching for words that were true but wouldn't cause her shrieking at him ," I think your getting a bit ahead, Lavender . Besides my Mum is real old fashioned and she'd ask you all sorts of embarrassing questions like are we shagging and stuff. We wouldn't have much privacy at home…and Mum would likely skin me alive if all we did was snog in her house .You'd be better off spending it with your own family , Lavender "

" I can handle your mother ," said Lavender , gritting her teeth ," or do you not want me to spend the holiday with you at your precious Burrow ?"

Yes I don't want you there was on the tip of his tongue but he didn't think he wanted to make her cry .Lavender could be a bit much when she was upset.

It was bad enough that he found himself worrying a lot because he really ,finally understood that he had caused Hermione's tears and was haunted by them after their terse conversation in the hall about Christmas.

" Don't be silly," Ron steered the conversation past the awkward ," besides I told you that Harry always spends the holiday with us. It's a family tradition and pretty sure the house will be crowded because we might have more family friends staying with us. You'd have to bunk with Gin…I know that you and my sister aren't exactly best of friends "

He couldn't imagine Lavender rooming with Ginny.

The girls couldn't stand one another unlike Ginny and Hermione who were the best of friends .

" That is very sweet that your concerned for my needs,' said Lavender ," but I still feel that this holiday will be a turning point for us. Holidays are special"

" What do you like about me ?" asked Ron, suddenly.

She prattled on quite a bit about astronomy and clothes and Quidditch but he'd gotten to where he tuned most of it out. Truth was , thinking back, they spent the better part of three months pretty much just snogging than actually talking to each other or studying together .

Ron missed talking especially with Hermione .

" I mean, why do you want to be with me, Lavender ?"

She laughed at him as if it was the funniest question he had ever asked but he was serious.

" Why, everything , my darling ," Lavender placed a hand over her heart and gazed up wildly at him," you won, you single -handily won the first Quidditch game of the season for us! My goodness, your also Harry Potter's right hand man and that is so important !

You are so brave and those muscles of yours makes me shiver, Ron "

But she didn't think he was more than that -that he could be smart. ( he was smart, dammit ! He'd made prefect .Hadn't he ! ) and clever ( he had his own ideas and he acted on them. Ron wasn't just Harry's side-kick) and loyal ( he would defend Harry and his family and those he cared about till the end ) - Hermione had reiterated his qualities to him in the hospital at the Ministry , as he had held her and they waited on word about Harry.

Lavender didn't see any of those qualities in him or else she just didn't care about them.

" Right ," said Ron, thoughtfully.

If he were to be fair , he had liked Lavender's looks , the adoration was great , and it was cool how she knew more about the stars than Trelawney did . Truth was that Ron cared but he knew now that he didn't love her ," I still think it best if you went home as planned, Lav "

Her lips quivered as tears welled in her eyes." Are you ashamed of me ?"

" Merlin, no," groaned Ron," I want for you to be safe .You going to the Burrow with me wouldn't be safe for you. Harry knows the deal and we all deal with it. Maybe it'd be best if you didn't sit with me on the train..in case of Dementers or anything. I mean, it wouldn't hurt for us to have a bit of a breather for awhile …you have been neglecting Parvarti "

" Parvarti understands ," stated Lavender with a gulp," she's with Seamus "

Then his meaning registered and she gasped at him," A breather ," Lavender's voice grew shrill," you want us to be separated ? This is all because of Hermione Granger ! All of this was brought on because you spoke with her the other day ! Even though you know that I hate her ! Before, before , you were happy with us, with me ! "

Ron's jaw tightened .' Hermione is my friend .Keep her out of this, Lavender "

" Your friend ," Lavender was outraged ," you two have barely spoken to each other since we started dating ! Well, I will let you have your little breather because that's just the type of girlfriend that I am . You bond with Harry or chase gnomes around a tree, whatever it is that your family does but know that I will miss you ever desperately , Ron! "

" **I am your girlfriend and you'd damn well not ever forget it !" **

On a jagged tear, Lavender bolted out of the classroom.

" Bloody hell," swore Ron," so much for breaking up with her "

He sank to the floor , cursing his own cowardice and wondered exactly when his Gryffindor courage had deserted him, and finally come to terms that he'd screwed up, royally.

God, he wanted Hermione ! Lavender had been, was a colossal mistake on his part !

Rowing with Hermione over his Mum's invitation to Christmas at the Burrow had excited him and cut him straight down to the bone ! Being with Lavender was fun and that was all it could ever be -they didn't share a special bond, a connection.

He had that with Hermione ,only Hermione .

Even Harry had stopped trying to get them to speak to one another and that made it somehow worse. Ron buried his face in his hands over his predicament he'd created and didn't have the first clue how to undo it ?

Even if he did somehow manage, would Hermione even still want him?

A cold chill seeped through Luna as she moved closer to the warmth of Neville as they sat together on the bench in the Transfiguration courtyard, talking . She wore a fuzzy red and grey jacket that had belonged to her mum ; it was her favorite piece of winter clothing but not very warm. Still she felt closer to her Mum in it regardless.

Neville rubbed her back, soothingly ."Lun, your freezing ," spoke up Neville, pressing a kiss a top her crocheted red beret ," let's go inside where its warm "

" No, I don't want to go inside ," said Luna as he shielded her body against the brisk wind that blew through the courtyard .She rested her head against the wool of his dark blue coat," the nip in the air has promise ...of good things . Don't you feel it ?"

" No," answered Neville ," but I can feel that your ears are cold, Luna . It wont be good if you catch a cold " he paused his fretting over her to notice the worry lines creasing her forehead," Are you still worried about your Dad ?"

" Yes," admitted Luna on a weary sigh ," Goodness, Neville , his last letter was a bit out there .Truthfully, it was crazy even for Daddy. He loves the Quibbler and its his life's work but now he's so…I don't know, overzealous with it. He never even said that he couldn't wait for me to come home or that he put our tree up and that it is waiting for me to come decorate it with Mum's ornaments " She bit her lip," I feel that he didn't talk about me coming home or the holiday at all in his last letter. All he talked about was just how much he wanted the Quibbler to crush the Daily Prophet "

Moisture pooled in her eyes ," I agree mostly with my father and the truth is most important for people to know but the paper isn't everything .."

" Your dad loves you, Luna ," Neville held her closer and wrapped both arms around her ," you're his little girl, his daughter , and his life. He is probably just wrapped up in the Quibbler , you know , trying to keep up with all of the lies the Prophet is printing and getting the real truth out there . I mean, you did say he has been operating the paper alone for a few weeks .I am sure that once your home , he will forget all of that and you two can just celebrate Christmas together "

" I hope so," murmured Luna , thoughtfully ," because I am truly worried .Usually Daddy goes all out for us because Mummy loved the holiday so and since she is looking down on us and that is special. He also talks about Mum in his letters and he never even mentioned getting a goose …"

" Gran usually fixes the traditional turkey ," commented Neville, hoping to change the subject ," I never much care for the stuffing. There is more than enough left over so we take the left overs to to share with Mum and dad . "

A sad smile crossed his face" Mum always smiles when I give her Gran's brown bread "

" It is good that you share the holiday as a family ," said Luna ," though I had hoped that you and I could spend this Christmas together "

" I know ," replied Neville , against her hair ," I feel the same way, Luna Loo. My uncle Algie is coming the day after Christmas and he is my favorite uncle…."

" I thought he was your only uncle ," mused Luna ," he is your dad's brother ?"

" Younger brother ," explained Neville ," he brought me the Mimblemintonia last year for my birthday. We sort of talked around the holiday, I think. The truth is that my grandmother said that it was up to me if I wanted to have you over for supper with us ..which you know I want that. I just never mentioned it because I understand that you wouldn't want to leave your Dad alone though I suppose he could come too "

Luna sighed, gently. " I know, Neville, and I'd love too. Even though I don't think my father would get along with your grandmother .Might be a bit uncomfortable for us "

She rubbed her brightly colored mittens together " This is so awful, Neville "

" No," dismissed Neville ," it could be worse I am sure. How about we say that if you need me, you'll send an owl to my house .Gran will either have to understand or she wont "

' You really are the kindest man, Neville ," Luna pressed a hand against his cheek," I think we managed not to row over this. Thank goodness Harry decided to form the D.A. or I might have not had the chance to fall in love with you like I have "

" I thought we were crediting Hermione for that ," joked Neville ," but im cool with it being Harry too. Besides I was already half in love with you during practice anyhow "

He kissed her mittened hand ," So why don't we celebrate the New Year together instead ?"

" That sounds perfect," shivered Luna, contemplating borrowing his earmuffs for warmth.

" Good ," declared Neville , pulling her up off of the bench," now we're going to the Ravenclaw common room because it's the closest and before you and I turn into icicles "

Elsewhere in an empty classroom on the 7th floor, another couple was trying to mend through this block of a wall that had been building between them for some time now. Ginny removed her arms from around Dean's neck, quite aware that he wasn't responding in any way to her affections and walked away from him. He couldn't have been clearer that he didn't care to touch her if she'd snogged him senseless.

" I wore my new dress to the Christmas party the other night ," brought up Ginny, trying to keep her tone light," thought it was rather flattering on me. Not that you even cared to show up or ask me about it at all…it was only two nights ago, Dean Thomas "

" The Slug club is rubbish ," told Dean," you know how I feel about it "

" Am I rubbish as well then ?" inquired Ginny," because it was nice to be included in it .Even if only because he was impressed with my hexing abilities "

He put an arm around her and felt her stiffen." Don't be stupid ," countered Dean ," you know I didn't mean it , club is all for the show offs and your not one of them . I'm sorry I didn't go but I'll see you in your dress some other time …."

Ginny ducked her head , trying to hide the momentary pang of hurt caused by his disintrest.

" I wanted my boyfriend with me, that's all " admitted Ginny, softly.

They were on unsteady ground and he knew they were close to the edge but he couldn't lose her . Dean grazed her lips , she barely answered .

" I am sorry ," said Dean, earnestly ," look I didn't want to say anything before but I have been freaking out about my mum "

Ginny frowned ," I don't understand, Dean. Is something wrong with her ? Is she sick ?"

" No," dismissed Dean," no, nothing like that. I sent my Mum an owl about Christmas break cause Seamus and his folks were going to spend it with us . I haven't ..I hadn't heard a word from her .Gin, my mother is the most annoying , always punctual on everything and I should have gotten a post that night but I never did "

Now Ginny understood , all too well. " You think she's been targeted by Death Eaters ?"

" Yea," said Dean ," it's been days . I finally got a post this morning from her but if I hadn't I was planning on going to Dumbledore . God, Gin, I was so scared for her but it turns out that Seamus's folks weren't comfortable with her staying at our flat alone so they came out early and got her . She's staying with them. I'm sorry I hurt you…I didn't realize…didn't think about it .."

Ginny brushed her lips over his in an understanding kiss. " You could have told me ," expressed Ginny, trying to be a good girlfriend ," I wish you felt as if you could share your worries with me. I wouldn't have been angry-it is your mum. Don't you know that I feel that , too? My family is considered the worse kind of traitors out there, Dean "

Dean shook her off ." Maybe but it wasn't your problem ," said Dean ," I handled it in the best way that I could .Seamus and I got pissed poor drunk on fire whiskey with your brother . We blew off some steam, had a hell of a party till Neville broke it up and the next day I got Mum's letter .All's well in the end.."

" I could have helped ," muttered Ginny, wondering why she still tried ," if you'd let me "

Dean rolled his eyes, disgusted ." it's fine and so am I ," dismissed Dean with a snort ," and so are we. Besides you wanted to go to the party and the fact is , I didn't want to hang out and muck around with all of the celebrities . I suppose you saw Harry there .."

Once more it came around to all things concerning Harry Potter. It was an old fight and Ginny was getting tired of explaining herself to him..though it was more repeating .

Ginny tried to find her center of calm and couldn't understand why Dean continually tried to goad her about Harry.

Yes, she had once had a silly crush on Harry but she had been 10 or 11 at the time .

Yes, she still cared about him and they were friends .Dean's insistent jealousy about Harry wasn't doing anything to help fix this shambles of a relationship that she thought they were in.

" Yes, Harry is a part of the club," recoiled Ginny, her eyes dark with anger ," and I did have a dance with him. I believe I also spoke with Neville and its possible that I told Blaise Zambini to bugger off. It was a party. Would you like a detailed list of whom I spoke to and when I went to powder my nose, Dean ?"

He winced and knew he messed up further with her. " Now your being ridiculous "

" It's how you make me feel ," Ginny walked over and put her arms around him," if you don't want to be with me , just tell me. Tell me something, anything . Talk to me, Dean.

After Michael Corner said horrid things about me after we broke up, you and I had the most wonderful talks. We don't have those anymore .Please, Dean, it is almost Christmas "

Didn't he understand she was asking him if he wanted them to work ?

" Corner didn't deserve you ," Dean pressed a kiss against her forehead ," and I'm a lucky bloke. I'm just in a lousy mood and not in the mood for any heart to heart with you right now. Okay ?" He should just go hang out with the guys in the common.

Ginny's shoulders lifted then fell in defeat which reflected in her eyes, all of the futility of a tried and failing relationship that he refused to relinquish once and all.

The fight went out of her as Dean released her from his arms and they separated.

It no longer mattered that they were still in the same room together because Gin didn't think that they could bridge the distance between them.

Didn't know if she even still wanted to anymore.

Weasley's always fought for what they wanted the most. Don't ever give up , not if you believe in it with your whole heart . Mum and Dad had always expressed in all of them as they were growing up that if something or someone was that important , they shouldn't let it go without a hell of a fight .

She had been fighting for her relationship with Dean but sometime in the middle of term, something had changed between them.

Her fight for them was nearly gone ; her fight belonged to another , with another , if only she could figure out which door to open and how to get there with him.

" Gin," Dean cut into her reverie ," can we just call it a night ?"

Ginny plastered a cheery smile on her face ." Sure ," Ginny tried to imitate Hermione's chipper expression and hoped Dean would believe it ," we'll snog on the train "

" That's my girl " Dean bussed her lips and left the room without her.

Ginny hung her head, defeated. " Damn, Damn, Damn "

Not far from where Ginny felt like screaming , Hermione sat alone on the edge of a staircase at the edge of an empty corridor in Gryffindor and cried . She hadn't thought it possible that she wasn't all cried out but then being mean and shallow had taken its toll on her. She felt rotten having sunken to Lavender's level, she didn't much care for her behavior and was quite ashamed of it, and all of her emotions for Ron that she'd buried in her bad behavior had finally erupted into fresh tears.

She didn't recognize this Ron now , had only caught a glimpse of the Ron that she'd fallen in love with , when they had quarreled over the holiday.

Merlin, she missed him so much ! Her whole heart felt empty !

The ache was constant and it hurt just to look at Ron! So she cried for what might have been between them, cried for the wonderful moments they'd shared at the Burrow before Harry came to stay, before term started, when everyday she had Ron all to herself.

When she was positive that Ron felt the same way about her .

**She'd gone out to the garden to help Ron degnome it because the ever present gnome family had moved the rest of his relatives into it. had insisted that Ron take care of the garden before he and Hermione go swimming .**

Hermione **knew that Ron detested the chore so she thought that she'd be of help but t turned out that the gnomes were a bit tricky. **

" Come **on, " Hermione implored a gnome as it scurried on little legs around her legs ," this isn't a hotel .There is a perfectly nice tree in the backyard …" She chased after it, not noticing that another gnome had latched onto her jeans ," oh this is completely barbaric ! Don't cuss at me or I will throw you in the brambles ! **

Don't you **think that I wont ! " **

The **gnome stuck its tongue out at her and then yanked on the hem of her jeans with more strength than she imagined one having possessed . " Get off of me !" **

Ron **caught sight of her , grinning at the indignation in her brown eyes as she tried to unsuccessfully to capture the canny little garden gnome .**

" Hermione ," **Ron ran towards her ," what the bloody hell are you trying to do?" **

Her hands flew **to her hips," Trying to help you degnome this garden for your mum " **

Just then **two more gnomes decided to join in the fun and latched onto her shirt as she let out a little cry of surprise ,"RON DON'T JUST STAND THERE!" **

Chuckling at her , **Ron let out a war cry , dove for Hermione and the gnomes scattered as they hit the soft grass together . As the gnomes ran, Ron's arms went around the back of her head to cushion it as he stared into those gleaming eyes. **

" Caught you **" teased Ron, sifting her soft hair through his fingers. **

Hermione laughed, **unable to take her eyes off of him. " So, that 's how you get get rid of gnomes ?" she murmured, unconsciously wrapping one arm around his neck and the other around his back. She could smell the freshly cut grass on him, the spicy scent that was all Ron, and just a hint of his spearmint toothpaste. **

It was intoxicating .

Her **heart thudded so loud that she was positive he could hear it. He didn't move from her embrace or act weirded out by her newfound fascination with being close to him." Just curse them and run after them ?" **

He **picked a blade of grass out of her hair ." Bit more complicated than that, sweetheart ," said Ron, the endearment slipping from his lips .**

It made **her brave. " I'm impressed, Ron," quipped Hermione , nervously ," and you know I'm not all that easily impressed " **

She allowed herself a moment **to lose herself in being held in his strong arms and the pools of blue that were his eyes. " This is nice " **

**Ron stared at her lips. " It is," muttered Ron , in a low tone ," I mean, yeah, Mione " **

**Hermione wanted him so desperately to kiss her right now ! She couldn't think of anything else but having Ron's lips on hers ! **

" **Ron " **

" **Ronald Weasley ," shouted Molly , " this room is a sty! Come in here right this instant and clean it ! " and the moment was gone in a blink of an eye. **

**Hermione **realized that it was foolish to relive the moment but that day , she had fallen a bit more in love with him. Now that she was facing a Christmas without Ron -a first- it was unbearable. The choice had been hers and oh, she longed for how it was during the holiday at the Burrow but she couldn't ruin Christmas for his family and Harry.

**They didn't **deserve that and she loved them all as dearly as her own family. She hadn't been home for Christmas since her second year (she had always celebrated with her parents during New Years anyways ) and it was high time that she spent the holiday with them.

**Soon she **would be graduating and moving on with her life and her life might very well be different. Briefly, she wondered if Ron would be taking Lavender to the Burrow .

Harry or Ginny hadn't mentioned anything of it to her but they wouldn't have wanted to hurt her feelings either. Three months and six days -surely Ron would want to introduce his girlfriend to his parents . He would want their approval and Lavender was just the sort of doting girl that Molly would want for her son.

Lavender probably knew that Ron preferred tea and juice to coffee in the mornings , too.

**Hermione had gotten up early to watch the sunrise from the window of the room she shared with Ginny, peruse the morning paper before could take it to work with him, and fix her morning coffee before the others were awake. **

**A hand snaked around her and took the cup of coffee from her hand. " I don't know how you and Harry can drink this stuff it tastes as bad as dirt "**

He took a sip, **burned his tongue, cursed, and sat it down on the kitchen sink.**

" Bloody hell, Hermione ! You trying to scald your bloody tongue, sweet "

**Her smile tugged upwards, sweetly at him." I hadn't added milk yet, big baby "**

He tugged at her ponytail and noticed that she still wore the soft pale pink pajamas.

She looked awfully pretty.

" **Your up early ," commented Hermione ," for you. Surely you're not awake just to share my coffee or have you acquired a new taste for dirt ?"**

" **Funny, Mione ," Ron pressed her back against the kitchen counter, moving closer to her ," I heard you roaming around down here figured I would keep you company "**

**Hermione leaned closer, tapping her finger against his chest." Harry snoring ?" **

" **Bloody logs," commented Ron, pleased that she understood," which **I reckon is a sight better than those damn nightmares he has " he caught a whiff of roses mixed with candy " You smell good .That the perfume I got you last Christmas ?"

" Mmm**," smiled Hermione, was the first time he had ever commen**ted about it since he had given it to her last year. She felt giddy ," it is "

Ron grinned crookedly at her. " **It suits you, is all. We the only ones up?" **

" Your Mum is doing laundry," says Hermione ," and you just want me to fix you a ten course breakfast, Ronald Weasley "

He caught her finger, noticed the shiny hint of pink on her pretty nail and just stared at her. " Eggs, sausages, and toast, Hermione .I'd be good with three "

" **Or you could make me breakfast ," Hermione held his gaze ,loving this new playful side of their relationship. **

" **Good morning, you two," Arthur strode in," ah I smell coffee. Hermione , be a dear and pour me a cup before molly comes in and takes it away from me " **

The moment slipped away from them as Ron stepped away from her and she blushed .

" Of course, "

Was there anymore reasons for her to have fallen helplessly , madly in love with Ron!

But those moments had been fleeting , she'd been the best friend, his last resort, until someone prettier had come along. No matter how many ways she'd tried to make sense of it , find some understanding of what had happened , despite what her friends told her, it all boiled down to one simple matter .

Ron wasn't in love with her.

He was in love with Lavender Brown.

Over the holiday, Hermione would make it her goal to finally move on with her life.

It was time for the war between Ron and Hermione to be over.

She had been defeated. Ron had won.


	13. Chapter 14

When it came time to leave the school and make the trek to the station to board the Hogwarts Express, it was with loud, boisterous flurry of bodies and voices all trying to load their trunks and race each other aboard to claim the best compartments .

Hermione watched Ron and Harry out of the corner of her eye as they lugged their trunks up as they were ways from her on the platform, wasn't too long ago, she would have been with them. She gave a little tug on her own trunk and noticed that it seemed heavier than it normally would have been.

Perhaps she shouldn't have packed the extra reading material but she wanted the distraction while she was at home, in case her parents became too curious.

" Here ," Suddenly Ron was there, moving into her line of vision," let me get that for you"

His hand brushed against hers as he reached for the leather handle she held. A rush of heat suffused them both all at once and once again her senses went wild.

Hermione jumped back as if he had burnt her." I've got it ," says Hermione , frostily," let go " What did he want from her now ? Lavender in his bed and her as his back up.

Not that she believed that Ron wasn't the perfect gentleman but she was still hurt.

Well regardless of whatever Ron thought he was doing, Hermione Granger had much more dignity than that.

Even if she did still love the prat. He could take his filthy tactics and sweet talk some other girl.

Ron stared at her, unflinching , taking in the pain still evident when he looked into those rich brown eyes and the way she kept biting her lower lip. " It's just a trunk, Hermione "

Deftly , Ron lifted her trunk onto the baggage carriage and turned to her ," See, your set "

" Shouldn't you be helping your girlfriend ," snapped Hermione before she could stop herself ," instead of me /? Wouldn't want to upset Lavender …"

He nodded , knowing that he deserved that. " We should go," said Ron, trying a different approach with her . He went back to just being himself with her ," you know , get a compartment before the good ones are gone "

Hermione could only gape at him, incredulous at this . What was going on with Ron ? Why after all this time did he decide to make nice ? She didn't understand him.

She could be civil, if she had to, would be overly polite if necessary to not make Harry any more uncomfortable than he already was but Ron couldn't keep changing the rules every time he felt the need .

It was too confusing and it hurt too much. Did he lay awake at night and try to find more cruel ways that would hurt and humiliate her ?

" I don't think so " says Hermione, lifting her head, proudly. This time she would not allow him to get to her as she moved away from him to board the train.

Ron's shoulders slumped and he watched dejectedly as Hermione smiled at Hagrid , gave him one of her loving hugs , and then climbed onto the Express. He wanted to be in Hagrid's place right now just to have Hermione hug him.

" Just what were you doing with **her ? " **demanded an irate Lavender , who had witnessed her boyfriends little exchange with Hermione Granger .

" If you want to piss me off, Lavender ," growled Ron," finish that sentence . I can talk to whoever the hell I want to, just like you can. That includes Hermione ….."

A pout spread across Lavender's face at the rough tone in his voice. Ron Weasley had a very passionate nature and it was one of the reasons she was attracted to him.

" Don't be sour ," Lavender wrapped an arm around his neck and he was engulfed in her overpowering perfume ," Can I steal a kiss before we separate, Won Won ?"

" Uh, we talked about air ,Lav," Hedged Ron , trying to be fair .His body didn't have any problem connecting with Lavender but his heart had been vying for Hermione these last few weeks. She mattered the most to him and one part of him felt guilty for even being with Lavender where before it hadn't . it was as if he was just now realizing his relationship with Lavender had been purely chemical and a lie.

A nagging voice in the back of his head kept saying 'Your betraying Hermione '

Ron hadn't cared to listen much before and now it was clear he should have.

" One kiss, Won Won," pleaded Lavender ," and I'll be a good girl. Promise "

Ron dropped a chaste kiss on her pout ," There ,Lav .Gotta go find Harry now "

" Bollocks " swore lavender , viciously ," you'd better not go to her , my Ron "

Meanwhile Hermione met Harry in the crowded corridor on the train and knew by his look that he was quite disappointed by her behavior . Well, she still wasn't especially happy with herself either but she couldn't handle sitting so close to Ron anymore .

" Don't say it , Harry " warned Hermione , feeling fragile .

" You could sit by me ," implored Harry , once more because their trio had never been divided during Christmas .It was numbing to him ," freeze Ron out . I wont even say a word about how stupid your acting because you would at least be sitting with us "

" I am sorry this hurts you, Harry ," Hermione bussed a sisterly kiss across his cheek ," especially for my part in dragging you into this . It should have been a private war . Have a Merry Christmas , Harry "

Before Harry could respond in kind , she let herself into the compartment that she would be sharing with Neville and Luna for the ride to Kings Cross .

" Hermione " muttered a frustrated Harry to himself , unaware that Ron had been watching .

Ron scowled , wished he hadn't seen Hermione kiss Harry and jealousy reared its head .

Of course , she was close to Harry Potter . The grand Chosen One .

Ginny noticed his angry look and hit him lightly in the arm. " What is the matter with you," asked Ginny," its your fault Hermione isn't coming home with us "

" Shut up, Ginny " responded Ron ," I don't want to talk about it "

" Bloody moron " said Ginny, under her breath as she moved along .

Hermione sat down across from the couple and pasted a warm smile on her face .

" Hi guys," says Hermione ,removing her pea coat and taking out a book ," thanks so much for letting me sit with you "

" It isn t a bother , Hermione ," spoke up Neville ," we 're friends "

" I know , Neville ," says Hermione ," and I appreciate it especially considering the circumstances ..I mean, why I couldn't sit in my usual seat. I am sure you two intended to be alone together for the trip back and that is how it should be . I don't want either of you to feel as if I need to be entertained because it simply isn't true so you mustn't pay any attention to me " She lifted her book for them to see ," I'll just pass the time reading "

An understanding look passed between Neville and Luna .

" The circumstances could still be fixed, I believe ," noted Luna ," if you were both wanting to which I think you are "

" Thanks, Luna ," smiled Hermione ," but I don't think its possible any more "

" So I never did quite understand how you two are spending your holiday together ?'

" We're sort of at odds still ," confessed Neville, wryly ," I would love for Luna to meet my favorite uncle who is in for the holiday but her Dad has been a bit off lately .

She's worried for him so we are just going to wait and see…"

" We would love to spend Christmas together ," picked up Luna ," naturally its quite important to Neville and myself. However I think whoever sends the owl first is how we will be deciding upon our holiday celebrations …."

" That's so sweet ," Hermione choked on a sob as the tenderness of the couple hit her heart, unexpectedly ," really it is lovely "

" Oh my, now I know it isn't all that romantic ," prattled Luna , moving over to sit beside Hermione ," truly , I am so terribly sorry this upsets you. It isn't worth crying over ..is it, Neville ?"

For his part, Neville felt wholly out of place and frightened of her tears.

" I will probably give in first ," added Neville , feebly ," God, don't cry, Hermione , please . Luna and I shouldn't have even mentioned it ..since your still all messed up over Ron and everything . I am soo, so sorry "

Hermione shook her head, hoping to dispel some of her emotions . " it isn't ..anything with Ron ," insisted Hermione , feeling foolish ," and I think you two are lovely together . I should have known ..at the Ministry when Luna was wiping blood from your nose, Neville . It is just me.. I am afraid I am feeling overly sentimental " She managed a watery smile " I am really excited to spend this Christmas with my parents . I haven't gone home these last two holidays because I was with ..with Ron ..at the Burrow so this will be some much needed time spent with them. I hardly see my parents much at all "

Luna sent a soft smile at her friend ." You cant hide your heart away forever ,Hermione ," said Luna , sagely ," no matter how hard you try, Ron will always find you "

" This isn't about Ron " stated Hermione , primly .She had to stop making it about him.

" I don't think Ron is all that happy with Lavender ,' spoke up Neville ," I'm not one to listen much to gossip but Seamus talks worse than a girl. There is so much rubbish going around and I room with some big mouths so I hear a lot and Ron is one of them. "

" I don't honestly need to know, Neville " assured Hermione , composing herself.

" Ron told Lavender that she was to sit with Parvarti ," went on Neville, plowing ahead ," not with him. Seamus was all bent out of shape because he had planned on snogging Parvarti most of the way to Kings Cross and Lavender puts a kink in that. Ron has also been hiding out in the room more lately, I have noticed "

" It isn't any of my concern what Ron does with his time ," says Hermione ," that is his business. Not mine "

" You have always been kind me , Hermione ," replied Neville ," and I hate seeing you upset. I agree with Luna that you and Ron should talk before you go home "

" I have said all that I need to say to Ron " stated Hermione , ending the conversation .

" Two packages of Droobles ," Harry handed the money to the waitress as he stuffed the candy into his sweatshirt pockets ," and a licorice wand .Thanks "

" Sweet tooth got you, Harry ," teased Ginny, her toffee coated eyes dancing merrily at him ," Better not fill up too much. Mum's liable to have a ten course meal waiting '

" I love your Mum's cooking ," confessed Harry , leaning in to envelope himself in a cloud of sweet peas that was the scent Ginny wore ," and the gum is bribery for Ron. He has ordered Lavender not to sit with us , he looks bloody miserable so I figure he will crack soon .."

" It had to happen sooner or later ," surmised Ginny," it wont be pretty "

" No, but you are certainly ..pretty ' Of their own violation, Harry reached out to touch a strand of copper between his fingers , it was rich and vibrant like she was ," what I mean is ..you have always been attractive but I never .. That is that jumper is becoming on you "

She was dressed simply in jeans and a form fitting charcoal gray sweater .

" The jumper used to belong to Hermione ," Ginny felt her heart leap in her throat ," she gave it to me. So, you find me attractive, Harry ?"

" Oh ," Harry fumbled a moment but decided to make that leap ," yea, I do. I mean, I have eyes, Ginny , and I think your lovely. I don't care if the jumper belonged to Hermione because it looks so much more becoming and softer on you "

Ginny couldn't believe that she was standing in the middle of the corridor on the train while Harry admitted that he noticed her ! Was it possible that she couldn't stand here acting like a blundering idiot and could she push this conversation further ?

Was this the sign from him that she had been waiting desperately for ? The reality seemed almost too good to be true but here it was or so it seemed .

" In all of the years that you've known me ," Ginny prodded ,carefully ," I don't recall you ever noticing one thing about me, Harry "

" Well, I've changed and so have you ," Harry tried to get it together ," I mean, things aren't quite the way they were since the summer . You aren't just Ron's sister …."

" What exactly does that mean ," challenged Ginny," or am I to guess ?"

Harry gave her a half grin " You don't think that things are different between us, Ginny ?"

Ginny licked her lips, nervously , and slowly nodded . " I think a lot is different , Harry Potter '

" Gin," Glowering at her and including Harry in his distrust, Dean stuck his head out of the compartment noting how close they were standing to one another .

" I thought you were going to check on Hermione ..ten minutes ago "

Inwardly, Ginny cursed herself for getting carried away with Harry but not regretting it.

" I was going to," said Ginny, finding her voice ," and I ran into Harry at the sweet cart "

" That must have been a while ago," snapped dean, not happy with her , at all.

Damn Harry Potter !

" Hey, Dean," acknowledged a cordial Harry ," totally my fault she got caught up. We were just discussing what her Mum might be making for supper ..she always makes everything for big family meal and then we got talking about Ron.."

Dean ignored him, which only pissed Ginny off worse.

" You don't owe Dean any sort of explanation, Harry ," retorted Ginny," we're friends. Friends talk and we are ..talking "

Harry tried not to give her an amused smile because it was quite funny though he figured Dean didn't think so at the moment .

Ginny never ceased to amaze him with her spirit !

" Gin," Dean tried again," you coming or what ?"

Ginny whipped her head around , nearly smacking Harry in the face with her hair, and faced her soon to be-ex-boyfriend , furiously. " I will be back in to see you when I want to see you, Dean Thomas ,and right now I am still talking to Harry "

Shooting them both disgusted looks, Dean slammed the door of his compartment .

" He's not too happy with you, Ginny" predicted Harry with some ambivalence.

" I know but there hasn't been a whole lot of happiness between either one of us for a good while , Harry ," answered Ginny, quietly ," maybe you could think about that ..and what you said about us a minute ago. "

" I have been thinking a lot about it " admitted Harry , almost so low she couldn't hear.

" Oh , and Hermione is still shook up but she's with Neville and Luna " added Gin, off hand .

" Good," declared Harry, firmly ," those two will get her into better spirits "

He wanted to not talk about Hermione , wanted to talk about him and her but now wasn't the time or the place . " I'd better get back and see how Ron's holding up," said Harry ," wouldn't want him to lose it all by himself ..he's gonna break soon "

" See you later then ," Ginny tucked a chocolate frog into his hand, pressing her hand against his as she gingerly brushed her shoulder against his ," save me a licorice "

" I will " muttered Harry to himself as she joined Dean in the compartment .

Had he bought a licorice ?

Ginny liked licorice . He'd known her forever and he didn't even know her favorite candy .Pondering the secrets that were Ginerva Weasley, Harry pulled open the door and plopped down across from a forlorn looking Ron. Judging from the look of pain on his mates face , Harry figured he wasn't too far off on his assessment of his friends state .

He made a snap decision that now wasn't the time to tell him that he wanted Ginny.

He would find a way to bring it round once they were at the Burrow .

" Took you long enough ," groused Ron, irritable ," thought you just went to get sweets"

" I stopped to talk with Ginny," explained Harry ," where is your girlfriend ? "

Ron scowled at him." I told you Lav is giving me some space ," retorted Ron, grumpily," thought we could take a breather . All she wants to do is snog me , Harry "

Harry grinned at him." This is a problem ?"

" Shut up, Harry ," said Ron," it's ..she's getting a bit old , after a while "

" So what your telling me is that Lavender is annoying you " baited Harry without pause .

" Kind of and I reckon I fancy more with a girl ," admitted Ron, hesitantly ," uh, did you see ..Hermione , Harry ?"

Harry wanted to gloat because the whole ridiculous situation was finally coming back round but he couldn't . He recognized that Ron was feeling it already.

" Ginny said she's sitting with Luna and Neville ," commented Harry ," course, I told her about a hundred times that she should sit with us but you know how stubborn Hermione can be …"

Ron was quiet. " Yeah, stubborn , alright ' remarked Ron, under his breath.

Just then a vision of perfect blonde curls, pouty lips, and wearing her standard tight fitting blue jumper and jeans, Lavender stopped at the door of their compartment and pressed her hands together in a silent plea to her boyfriend to let her in.

Harry flicked his gaze from Lavender to his best mate." Speaking of your girlfriend "

Ron managed a weak smile in her direction but didn't make a move to let her in either

Clearly she didn't understand how much space he wanted from her .

Then in a melodramatic gesture of her devotion,Lavender blew on the glass of the door a large heart and then artfully wrote inside it **R and L **then blew across it so that if was reflected on the window beside Ron and Harry.

" I miss you " breathed Lavender , her eyes watery.

Ron lifted his hand in a wave and nodded at her . Okay then he didn't actually miss her but he didn't want to hurt her feelings again either . It was the holidays, after all, so he said nothing at all.

When Ron didn't respond ,Lavender pleaded at him with her violet eyes and another heartfelt " I miss you "

Turning on her heels , she flounced down the corridor, sadly .

" That was fun " Harry couldn't resist adding with a half laugh," I suspect she'll be furious with you over that "

Before Ron could answer , brown curls came into his vision and he straightened up as Hermione glanced very briefly at Lavender's handi-work. He noticed that she wore a soft white and blue sweater with jeans , a scarf of blue around her neck, carelessly .

It made a lovely picture but she didn't so much as meet his gaze , simply lifted her head, high and sniffed indignantly at the heart and strode very purposely down the corridor.

Ron wanted to reach for her , tell her to sit beside him as she always did, always had, bury her nose in a damn book -she didn't even have to speak to him.

He just needed her warmth next to him.

" Don't even say it , Harry ," warned Ron," I know …."

" Good ," Harry tossed him a bag of gum," here , I thought you might need these . Now since we're finished alienating Lavender and Hermione , what exactly is this Unbreakable Vow ?"

" Your sure that is what Snape told Draco ?" asked Ron, before stuffing a wad of gum in his mouth.

" It's what I heard ," said Harry ," and I could hear them pretty clear. Snape was seriously pissed at Malfoy and told him he took the Unbreakable Vow "

" Wonder why he'd do that ," speculated Ron," it's dangerous. Fred and George tried to get me to take it once - think I must have been like 8 or 9 at the time . I was getting ready to swear to it when Dad found us " He shook his head at the memory " Only time I've ever really seen Dad lose it .Usually it's Mum that goes all barmy on us ..anyway, he put a stop to it right off "

" Fred reckons his right buttock hasn't been the same since that day "

" I really don't need that image of Fred but thanks ," said Harry, making a disgusted face ," what would have happened if you broke the vow ?"

Ron grew serious." You die "

" Somehow I was afraid that was what you would say " replied a pensive Harry .

The rest of the trip to Kings Cross was uneventful with Ron and Harry contemplative .

There was none of their usual banter as they were both locked in their own thoughts .

A compartment away, Hermione watched Neville and Luna cuddle and whisper softly to each other and wondered if there would ever be that kind of happiness for her or if she was destined to always love Ron Weasley.

Four compartments down from them, Ginny leaned against Dean and tried to find some enthusiasm at being with him while he laughed riotously with Seamus .

It was a shame that all she felt was friendship with her boyfriend .

The spark was long gone and dissipated like a old spell.

Down the corridor, Lavender chatted on and on to Parvarti that this space was healthy for couples . Won Won would love her more for it.

Parvarti didn't have the heart to reiterate to her best friend that no amount of space could make Ron Weasley love her when he was in love with another girl.

Lavender wouldn't believe her , anyways.

As the train rolled into Kings Cross, parents or siblings waited anxiously on the crowded platform searching for their teenagers , eager for them to be home. Harry was thankful that his family was the Weasley's and not his Uncle Vernon and Aunt petunia .

They long ago accepted that Harry would spend the holidays at the Burrow .

" Harry Potter ," Molly Weasley wrapped her arms around him in a motherly hug, kissed his cheek, and stared at him," let me look at you!" A young man with a hint of stubble stared back at her ." It's good to see you too, Mrs. .Weasley " grinned Harry, truthfully.

" Oh, and its good to see you as well, " said Molly, " my goodness, Harry, you need a shave "

" Yes, ma'm ," Harry returned the hug," where is ?"

" He went to pick up Remus and Tonks ," answered Molly ," unless there's a bit of trouble I expect that they will be at home once we get there "

Harry felt lighter in his heavy heart at this news . " Are they spending Christmas with us ?"

Molly chuckled ," They will indeed , if I have anything to say about it, Harry ," countered Molly, searching the crowd for the rest of her children. She spotted Ginny hugging Dean and called out to her ," Ginerva! Ginny, dear, come over here !"

Ginny didn't need any urging , she simply let go of Dean and fell into her mothers embrace. " Now don't start blubbering, Mum," joked Ginny," save that for when Bill and Phlegm show up or Charlie. I've only been away at school, you know …"

" Don't be sassy , Ginerva," scolded Molly ," now where is Ronald ? With Hermione ? I actually expected to find them both with Harry …"

" No," stated Ginny," Ron isn't anywhere with Hermione . Don't know where he's at "

Molly made a face of confusion." Is your young man going to be spending the holiday with us," questioned Molly," you never mentioned it in your owl but then you seldom tell your father and I anything personal in your letters, young lady "

" You and Dad don't need to know all my business, Mum," said Ginny, brusquely ," and no, Dean wont be coming to the Burrow with us "

Molly eyes her daughter with suspicion." Your brother and Harry said you are still dating him'

Ginny scowled ." Ron needs to worry about his own love life instead of mine . I didn't invite Dean , and I am not planning to so end of story ,which there isn't any "

" Hmm" considered molly, aware that her daughter wasn't entirely being truthful.

" Ginny ," Harry peered around Molly and caught her eye," come on, let's go get our trunks while she waits for Ron to show up "

" Sure " said Ginny, simply. Side by side, they went to the baggage compartment, each daring to slide sidelong glances at one another when the other wasn't looking.

This didn't get past Molly , who wasn't quite sure what to make out of this development .

" Harry and Ginny " muttered Molly to herself as she tried to spot her lanky built son.

Inside the train, Hermione was one of the last to make her way towards the exit, , and stood back to allow the mad rush to dart past her . She narrowly avoided Cormack , who wanted one last attempt to grope her and she had succinctly informed him that he still didn't stand a chance in hell with her .

She tried to channel her bad mood into something more cheerful as she prepared to find her parents . Hermione lifted her eyes and they collided into the clear blue ocean of Ron's as the world spun around her.

" I …wont bother you," replied Ron, his tone gentle ," just ..Happy Christmas "

Hermione chewed reflexively on her lower lip." Happy Christmas "

He wanted to say more , didn't want this contact with her to end . " That's all," went on an uncertain Ron," just wanted you to know . Since we don't hardly talk anymore, Mione . Uh, so, I guess, bye,then ….."

Ron stepped off of the platform as Lavender hurtled herself into his arms in front of Hermione and all around to witness the spectacle.

" There you are ," gushed Lavender ," I am so sorry , my darling . I never meant to embarrass you in front of Harry ,truly, luv, I didn't . I'll just miss you…I promise I will owl you every single day that we are apart , Won Won !"

" You don't have to do that ," told Ron," really don't trouble yourself , Lav "

She smattered kisses across his face though he tried to avert her ." No trouble '

" I gotta go, Lavender "

" But darling, I want you to meet mother and father " implored Lavender, vainly.

"Sorry, " Ron found his own Mum at the edge of his vision," Mum's waiting for me "

He had never truly been more delighted to see his Mum in all of his life at the moment .

" But Ron," sighed Lavender ," I love you"

Ron pretended not to hear her, just kept striding for where his Mum stood,waiting .

Hermione heard them as she stepped off of the platform and squaring her shoulders, she shut out Ron and lavender's heartfelt declarations of love and met her fathers serious gaze.

" Hermione ," Eric Granger engulfed his only daughter in a strong hug and felt her tension slide from her shoulders," there's my favorite girl!"

"Hi Dad " greeted Hermione , resting her head on his tan tan blazer and drawing comfort from him. It was soo good to see him!

He kissed the top of her head ." It means the world to your mother and me that we get you all to ourselves this holiday," teased Eric, good naturally ," how are Harry and Ron taking the news ? I can only remember one holiday you didn't spend with those boys .."

It had actually been two. Her first and second year at Hogwarts and after that, she practically lived at the Burrow . She didn't say any of that however .

Hermione managed a pleasant smile because it wasn't necessary to let him know how upset she was with Ron.

It would cause too many questions that she didn't want to answer.

" They are both fine ," assured Hermione ," where is Mum?"

" At home ," informed Eric , draping an arm around her shoulders ," preparing a feast in the event of your arrival home. Your mother has been cooking since eight this morning "

He rolled his eyes ," She has been obsessed with those American cooking shows since we went to that dental convention in New York. Oh, and Ronald's mother sent her a delightful recipe for that Christmas cake you like so well though she couldn't find that candied ginger anywhere . Did you want to track down Ron and Harry and say your goodbyes while I wade through the mess over there and get your luggage ?"

" I already did ," snapped Hermione , uncomfortable ," say goodbye to them..on the train "

" Really ," replied a surprised Eric ," that is different. I have never known you three to not spend twenty minutes on this platform saying goodbye to each other "

" Well, we're hardly little kids any longer, Dad ," says Hermione , smartly ," some things have changed " Like the fact that Ron was in love with Lavender these days.

She wasn't important to him anymore as well." It was just much easier if we said our goodbyes before we exited is all "

Eric wasn't easily fooled ; he knew that something was bothering his daughter. Last term on this very same platform , he had watched his daughter hug Harry and fix his glasses.

He was convinced this was some sort of sisterly thing between them as he had watched her repair them for him enough time over the years.

Then she had simply held onto Ron and he to her. Lydia had been panicked by what they had seen in their daughters eyes but he had known and had almost expected it .

Their daughter was in love with her best friend , it seemed.

" You said happy holidays to your two best friends " repeated Eric, disbelieving her.

" Yes, Dad ," says Hermione , impatiently ," on the train, as I mentioned . Now I am going to go round up my trunk and I will meet you out at the car "

Eric frowned " You've no idea where I've parked, Hermione Jean "

" Dad , I am perfectly capable of finding the car ," stated Hermione ," especially since you always park in the back by 's Angelia so that you may question him about it "

He heaved a sigh," Says the grown up daughter to her old man "

Sighing in resignation, he left his stubborn daughter to tend to her own luggage.

" Mum, let go," said Ron, disentangling himself from his mothers arms," I'm fine "

Molly pressed her hands against his face and noted with a keen eye, the trouble behind his blue eyes. He was so like Arthur , everything he felt showed in his eyes.

Bill was the same way whereas the other boys were more guarded . Still her gaze was sharp.

" What's wrong, Ronnie ?" questioned Molly," and don't think of lying to me "

" Nothing , Mum," dismissed Ron, giving her a quick smelled of laundry soap, fresh bread and was just mum," you're mental. The studying for N.E.W.T.S. has been hell, that's all. Did you notice where Harry and Ginny took off to?"

" They went to get their trunks ," answered Molly, no swayed by his tactics, " and where is Hermione ? "

His eyes roved the crowded platform searching for her , and hoping for one last glimpse of her but didn't find her .

" Don't know ," said Ron with a careless shrug ," you know she's not coming home with us. She's probably already left and is on her way to her own home by now ….I'm going to get my trunk and find those two "

He didn't want to have to be interrogated on why Hermione wasn't coming with them.

She snagged his sleeve, gently. " I understand full well that her folks want her home this year ,' went on molly, " soon she will be on her own and maybe not able to come home for Christmas with her family. We're blessed that Bill and Charlie are home this year with us…shouldn't you be saying your goodbyes to Hermione , Ron?"

" I tried .." was all Ron could say as he walked away from his puzzled mother .

" One of these days , one of my kids is going to tell me the truth about what really goes on during term," grumbled molly to herself," or perhaps I'll bribe the truth from my daughter "

Farther down the platform , Augusta Longbottom stared distrustfully at Xenophillious Lovegood's attire of a bright magenta suit and a garish yellow tie with ravens sewed onto it then glanced wearily as her grandson leaned in close to his girlfriend . She accepted that he was no longer a child but it was very difficult to witness Neville's very public displays of affection with Luna .

In her day, it just wasn't done nor was it acceptable.

However , she didn't want to quarrel right off with him so she hung back and held her tongue.

" You must be Luna's father , I am to assume " brought up Augusta in a cordial manner .

" Xeno," he said , distractedly as he pulled out a notebook from his pocket and scribbled some notes ," pleased to make your acquaintance, ma'm. My Luna is quite fond of your grandson as she babbles all of the time about him in her letters to me . "

He paused to acknowledge her ," Bright young man "

" Neville is very bright ," agreed Augusta , glancing once more at the couple ," I had forgotten that you had already met my grandson. Your daughter is a pretty girl , Mr. Love good "

His smile was part sad, part warm as he looked at his daughter . The long ,blonde hair , the big silvery eyes, the soft voice -all was a spitting image of his Juliet .

" She takes after her mother ," sighed Xeno," I must say that I am happy your grandson is dating my Luna . I had some concerns that led me to believe she cared for Harry Potter and he would be too dangerous an involment for her. Neville is better suited for her, I do believe "

" I understand they are friends with the Potter boy," commented Augusta , craftily ," it's not an entirely bad thing . That young man has guts and the worth to make something of himself, I have no doubt. His parents attended Hogwarts with my Alice and Frank .."

" Well, I'm not one to tell my daughter who she can be friends with," spoke up xenon, conversationally," Luna knows her own mind. Still the Chosen One is nothing but trouble on the cusp as far as I am concerned ..and I would just as soon Luna not be that friendly with him. Even if he was generous enough to give us his story last term…."

Augusta decided that it wouldn't do well to argue politics with Luna's father and simply ignored the conversation, switching it back to their kids , at hand.

" Your daughter is younger than Neville," brought up Augusta , shifting her large handbag to her other arm," do you have any concerns that he might take advantage of her ?"

He closed the notebook. " From what I have witnessed of them together ," stated Xeno, offended by the suggestion," Neville is the perfect gentleman with Luna. Are you telling me that you distrust your own grandson, Mrs. .Long bottom ?"

Her spine went up as she pursed her lips , weighing the truth with a fib. " I have raised Neville as his parents would have ," declared Augusta, rigidly ," to treat a lady with courtesy and respect due to her. However , he is nearly a man now and as men have urges of the chemical and er, physical nature of which I have no control over , naturally while he is in school. It was merely a courtesy that I felt I should mention to you as of how overly affectionate way they are with one another …"

" My Luna is a good girl," assured Xeno," good judge of character , Madame. If she trusts in Neville then I see no reason to threaten him because he has hormones . Neville has never given me reason to believe that he would maul my daughter "

Well, that had certainly backfired on her . The man had to be a bit daft in the head with that kind of thinking and must surely be where Luna inherited the trait .

" Of course he wouldn't ," said Augusta, simply .

Xeno tucked his book into the pocket of his blazer and turned a steely gaze on the older woman, recognizing censure when he heard it. His newspaper, The Quibbler, wasn't always the most popular paper and often than not, he received disapproving letters in droves. Angry readers were one thing but he wouldn't hear of it where his own daughter was concerned .

" You disapprove of my daughter " stated xenon, fiercely.

" I think that she is his first crush ," informed Augusta ," Neville was a shy boy. It wont last between them and having raised a girl myself, I thought I would offer some advice for when Neville breaks her heart . My grandson is meant for grand things , I am positive of this . This is merely young love and in time, it will fade and pass as these things so often do "

A whimsical look appeared on his face as he recalled seeing Juliet for the first time near the hillside, a blonde fairy of a girl at 15, and he had understood then she would come to be his wife. They had both known this to be true .

" Or they will endure ," responded Xeno," as love does .Luna believes that her soul is intertwined with Neville's just as her mother was with mine, so long ago "

" Nothing but drabble " dismissed Augusta, pragmatically.

" Gran looks really angry ," Neville held Luna's hands in his own , glancing covertly out of the corner of his eye where his grandmother was talking with Xeno," change in our plan. Forget the owl, I think it would be safer if I just go home with you and your dad "

Luna caressed his cheek." Your overreacting , Neville . You shouldn't judge her too harshly when we don't know what she is saying and besides it is nearly Christmas. Besides is she wasn't at the very least being civil, Daddy would be yelling .She has probably been looking forward to your return…"

" Gran doesn't squabble ," corrected Neville," and she has plans for me to follow "

" You're her life, Neville," insisted Luna, kindly ," and you know that I would love nothing more than have you spend the holiday with daddy and me but we talked this through already. Please just try for your grandma. I know that your Mum would want you to as well .."

A flash of sadness darted through his eyes at the mention of his mother and he kissed Luna's knuckles. " You shame me, " admitted Neville," how could I forget Mum and Dad ?"

His parents had been viciously tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange during the First war , the torture addling their minds so much that they had lived in the mental wing of St. Mungoes since Neville turned one year old. Though they barely recognized their own son , Neville believed his visits brought them pleasure and that somehow, sometimes, they knew him. They knew their own son.

" I am a terrible person, Luna " bemoaned Neville, quietly.

" No, you're a wonderful person," expressed Luna, keenly ," I know you love your parents . You would never forget them, not anymore than I would my own Mum.

Your grandmother just makes you a little nutter sometimes is all "

" I am going to miss you, Luna " replied Neville , pulling her in for a sweet kiss.

" As I am you, Neville " Luna returned the kiss under the watchful eye of his grandmother .

Her father had the decency to allow them privacy.

" Come along , Neville, " interrupted Augusta at the end of her rope ," we haven't all day to waste at this insufferable platform as we have to pick up Algie soon "

Neville let go of Luna and faced his grandmother . " Uncle Algie is flying in? I thought he wasn't coming in from Norway until late tomorrow afternoon, Gran?"

" Apparently he and Charles Weasley managed the same flight out," explained Gran," I only just received the post before I left to pick you up " She tapped her foot, impatiently.

" Collect your trunk, Neville, so that we can be out of this madhouse "

" Merry Christmas, Mrs. Long bottom " smiled Luna, pleasantly.

" Happy Holiday, dear ," said Augusta , off hand ," Neville, we really must hurry now "

" Give me a minute ," replied Neville, brushing a kiss across Luna's cheek," don't forget to look for my owl, Luna Loo " He nodded politely at her father ," Good to see you again, Mr. Love good "

" Always a pleasure to see you, Neville ," replied Xeno," have a nice holiday "

" Thanks ," acknowledged Neville, feeling his grandmothers stony gaze upon him," Uncle Algie can visit with Charlie if we're a few minutes lat, Grandmother "

" Punctuality and politeness are signs of proper .." started Augusta then stopped when her grandson sent her a disapproving look," oh very well, lets just get on with it "

Neville took her arm and guided her towards the baggage train.

" You promised me ," reminded Neville ," more than once , that you would try to be nice .I don't think that you were doing a very good job of it , Gran "

" I was polite to your girlfriend ," huffed Augusta," I didn't snub her, young man"

" I've seen Lavender Brown act frostier than you" commented Neville, glibly.

Augusta frowned ," Her parents are very respected in London .Though I do not understand what you are implying, Neville . I agreed that you could invite Luna over for the holiday and it is hardly my fault that she chose to spend it with her family "

" Luna may be coming the day after Christmas ," informed Neville," hold your tongue "

Augusta heaved a heartfelt sigh , thinking of her daughter at 17.

" You've suddenly gotten your Mum's tongue on you, Neville Longbottom"

His expression slid into a welcoming grin." Go on out to the car ," suggested Neville ," I know you don't care for the crowd here . I'll be along shortly and then we can go pick up Uncle Algie "

Augusta patted his cheek, felt the stubble on his face, and felt tears prick her eyes.

" You're a good boy, Neville " muttered Augusta and headed for the parking lot.

" Daddy," Luna threw herself into her fathers wiry frame ," you really came !"

Xeno pulled back to look at her ," I promised to be here in my last post, Luna "

" Actually you didn't ," corrected Luna ," I was afraid that I would have to catch a ride home with Ron, Harry, and Ginny on their way home to the Burrow "

" I'll admit I've been a bit addled lately since I lost one of my carriers at the Quibbler ," replied Xeno," but I would never forget my own daughter "

She searched his face , noticing the dark circles beneath his eyes as well as the wrinkled suit. Not that her father was handy with an iron in the first place.

" Are you feeling alright, Daddy ?" asked Luna ," your last post was incredibly short. I was a bit afraid you'd been Confounded as you didn't ask about any of my classes or if I was still helping Hagrid out with Care of Magical Creatures for extra credit this term "

He felt a bit uncomfortable as she gently called him out on his mistakes .

" I am sorry if I neglected you ," told Xeno," the fact is that I've had several rows with that snarky Rita Skeeter from the Daily Prophet lately. She has been trying her best to discredit me and the Quibbler "

" Oh, she is a horrible woman," agreed Luna, solemnly ," During the Tri-Wizard Tournament she wrote awful lies about Harry cheating and she did a hurtful story about how Hermione was dating Harry and Victor Krum at the same time "

She caught her breath," Of course , they were all lies . You mustn't let her upset you, Daddy . More and more folks are subscribing to the Quibbler than the Prophet these days "

" Sales are up by a good 30% I would say ," said Xeno, proudly ," now why don't we collect your trunk, dear "

" Did you remember to get the tree this year ?" asked Luna , anxiously.

His smile was sheepish as he'd waited till the last moment due to a story he was writing on the vampire rebellion of Durmstrang in 1876. Luckily for him, Arthur Weasley had dropped by with a Christmas cake from their family and had helped him cut down a small tree .

" It's a bit smaller than what we had last year ," told Xeno," but it's up in the parlor. I got down all of your Mum's decorations from the attic already but left that up to you, my girl "

Luna clapped her hands together in delight . That was her favorite part of the holiday .

" What about Mum's candles ?" inquired Luna, excitedly.

" On the mantle where she always put them," Xeno put a protective arm around his daughters shoulder ," looks like the station is thinning out some . Why don't we go round up your trunk and you can keep me up to date on what's been going on at Hogwarts "

" Oh ,alright ," agreed Luna as they began walking ," it's been really crazy, Daddy "

" Have you been involved in said craziness, Luna ?' queried Xeno, curiously .

" Not as much as I would like to be ," answered Luna, thoughtfully ," I have been trying to help Hermione . Poor girl is in love with Ron and hasn't a clue how to handle it "

" Are you in love with Neville ?" blurted out Xeno and hoped he didn't humiliate her .

" That's very personal ," muttered Luna, very softly ," you loved Mum at my age "

Xeno sighed, heavily .He had his answer and it was yes .

His baby girl was in love .

" I wish your mother was still here ," worried Xeno, wiping at his eyes," she wanted nothing more than for you to find love and be happy "

" I like to think that Mum would approve of Neville ," said Luna as a chill went through her ," and I hope that you do. You have never really mentioned it before, Daddy "

" Neville is a nice young man," answered Xeno, honestly ," and I cant help but to like him. He treats you well -even if his grandmother is an ancient harridan "

" Daddy ," scolded Luna, teasingly ," I just lectured Neville on this very thing "

" Come along now ," encouraged Xeno," let's get you home for Christmas "

Then skipping side by side , they collected her trunk and left the platform 9 3/4 .

In the parking lot outside of Kings Cross, Hermione's father had indeed parked the sedate grey sedan besides 's old blue Ford Anglia and unfortunately , Mrs. Weasley was still supervising the loading of the trunks when Hermione and her father strolled by the car. Any other time , Hermione would have been delighted to see Molly.

" Why, Molly ," greeted Eric, jovially ," I thought that was you. Where is Arthur ?"

A broad smile lit up Molly's face in greeting . " Eric, Hermione , how wonderful to see you," molly moved to embrace Hermione ," I am afraid Arthur is picking up some family friends for the holidays . " She planted hands on her ample hips and looked at Hermione .

" We will miss you at the Burrow, young lady . I believe this is a first …."

" I'm sorry, Mrs. Weasley ," says Hermione, softly . She tried not to notice that Ron had stopped loading the trunks in the boot and was staring wordlessly at her .

" No need for that, dear ," replied Molly ," why your own parents are entitled a Christmas with their only daughter at least once a year . Arthur and I mustn't be selfish "

Eric chuckled ," Lydia is over the moon over it, Molly. She is preparing all of this ones favorites and Hermione's aunt is visiting from the states "

Ron held Hermione's gaze , wanting more than anything to find the right words that would make things right again with them.

In her cage, Crookshanks hissed at him.

In that instant , they were both shot back to their 3rd year when it was very apparent that bickering and bantering with each other was new and exciting .

**Get that filthy beast away from my rat. It looks like an old shoe brush, not a cat **

**Ignore the mean, little boy, Crookshanks **

Hermione took the keys from her father , lifted the trunk and suddenly , Ron was there, taking it from her and sliding it into the back.

" I always help you with your trunk " he said, quietly . This time he didn't give her a choice like earlier . She said nothing , just turned away from him.

Eric and molly shared baffled expressions at their teenagers sudden odd behavior.

" Well since Ron has gotten Hermione's luggage in the car ," brought up Eric, " I suppose we should be getting home "

Hermione waved at Harry and Ginny . " Happy Christmas ," called Hermione and slid in the front seat with her confused father ," let's go home, Dad "

Eric nodded politely at her friends, slid in the drivers side, and started the car up .

" Do you want to tell me what is going on, Hermione ?" inquired Eric, hopefully.

" Nothing ," lied Hermione , refusing to look back at him," nothing at all "

" You didn't hug Ron back there " Eric tried the not so subtle approach of prying .

Hermione folded her hands in her lap and played with the fringe of her scarf.

" I didn't think you wanted me going round hugging Ron, Dad " shot back Hermione, sharper than she intended .

" Don't confuse me with your mother ," retorted Eric, " cut me some slack, Hermione . I'm on your side here . Are you and Ron having problems ?"

" I don't want to talk about this with you," says Hermione ," please , don't ask me too "

" Did he hurt you?" demanded Eric, the outraged father coming out now.

" It isn't important ," muttered Hermione in a tiny voice, " Ron has a girlfriend "

" Oh ,baby," Eric reached across the seat to squeeze her hand ," I'm sorry "

" Don't mention it to Mum," pleaded Hermione ," I know she has her heart set on me dating Timothy Whitefield and I cant handle that right now. Please, Dad .."

" Alright ," agreed a reluctant Eric," it may not mean anything to you , dear, but a young man doesn't look as Ron did at you back there if he loved his girlfriend "

" I don't want to talk about Ron Weasley any longer " says Hermione , staring out the window , watching the blur of activity as they drove through London .

Meanwhile , Molly drove the car at a pace of a snail until they got closer to Ottery St. Catchpole and then she could fly them home. Ron sat beside her , lost in his thoughts .

Harry and Ginny shared the backseat and more than a few laughs , causing her to glance worriedly back at them in the mirror.

Harry seemed to be provoking her Pygmy Puff further into Ginny's hair.

Arnold scurried into the fall of her tresses , its tiny claws latching onto the strands .

" Harry ," Ginny swatted at his chest, playfully ," this isn't funny!"

Harry forgot all the reasons he had been arguing with himself about Ginny and acted on his feelings . He caught her hand, held it and watched the fire light her eyes.

" Looks pretty funny to me, Gin ," teased Harry ," didn't think those silly puffs could be frightened of anything "

" Well, now we know ," remarked Ginny," Harry, get Arnold out of my hair, please "

" I don't know ," Harry couldn't resist ," purple looks kind of cute on you "

She forgot all about her hair , Arnold, and the fact that her mother and brother were probably listening in the front . " I thought you preferred brunette's "

Harry slid his hand behind the nape of her hair to collect the quivering puff and just held a handful of her soft as silk hair . " I fancy this shade a lot…its more copper than red "

" Oh " muttered Ginny, her lips parting as if waiting for him to kiss her .

" What exactly are you two doing back there ?" interrupted Molly, loudly

The romantic moment was broken.

Harry gathered Arnold and handed him back to Ginny, embarrassed that he had nearly kissed her in front of Mrs. Weasley and Ron.

He really wanted to kiss Ginny, was considering hundreds of ways to go about kissing her, but on the car trip to the Burrow wasn't one of them.

" Uh, nothing ," said Harry," Arnold doesn't like the ride "

" Those puffs are more sensitive than an owl ," commented Molly ," it would have ridden just fine in its cage, Ginerva "

Ginny didn't seem to hear her since she appeared not to have taken her eyes off of Harry.

Oh ,Merlin! She had hoped Ginny had outgrown that crush .

" Arnold is fine , Mum " commented Ginny, off hand ," Is Charlie back yet ?"

" He wasn't when I left ," explained molly ," but I am sure he'll be home shortly "

" Is it safe for Remus to be out of hiding , Mrs. Weasley ?" asked a concerned Harry.

" Arthur and Remus discussed it with Kingsley ," told Molly," it must be or neither of them would risk a chance that someone might spot him. Tonks is over the moon that he agreed to come with her -I think they make a splendid couple "

" Ronnie," brought up Molly ," is something troubling you ?"

" I said no, Mum," snapped Ron," I'm fine .Just drop it, will you?"

" You didn't say much to Hermione ,dear ," reminded Molly, having a feeling about this.

" Just leave Hermione out of this ," retorted an unhappy Ron," she doesn't have to spend every bloody holiday with us if she doesn't want to! Mione has her life , I have mine !"

Wisely, Molly decided not to push. " I see, I think "

In the back, Ginny lay a hand on Harry's leg and met his inscrutable gaze.

" You were right . He is cracking "

Harry covered her hand with his." We should have forced Hermione to join us "

" Short of locking them in a broom closet together ," said Ginny in a low voice ," I think Ron will do better figuring it out for himself. Having the family will help "

" You help " muttered **Harry , happily **over their intertwined hands.

She lifted her chin, slightly., a slow smile spreading across her face.

" We help, Harry "

It was going to undoubtedly the most wonderful Christmas this year .


	14. Chapter 15

The holiday at the Burrow was all about the family spending time together .

Arthur had put up a crooked green tree with Fred and George adding to it by petrifying a garden gnome ( complete with glued on paper wings ) for the festivities.

They were finishing up when Molly came in with Harry, Ginny, and Ron who took in the cozy scene about them. The wireless was belting out popular Christmas songs in the parlor while Bill's fiancée . Fleur was in the kitchen , an apron over her pale blue dress, icing mini biscuits.

" Your just in time, Sis ," George gave her a one armed hug," we left the decorating up to you"

Ginny hit him, affectionately. " What are you doing to that gnome ?"

Fred joined her on the other side and peeked around the corner , making sure that his mother couldn't hear. " Ssh, Gin," told Fred ," you needn't mention it ..it's the new angel for the top. Mum doesn't need to know the particulars of the old one .."

Ginny grinned, slyly." The one that you broke last year "

" Naw, I don't know what you are talking about " said Fred ," pure nonsense "

Ginny couldn't help but to laugh." Mum will have a fit ," she said ," if she notices that you've petrified it "

" Mum wont notice ," declared George ," she'll be too busy fussing over Charlie "

That much they could pretty much agree would be true as their older brother was coming home from Romania for the holidays.

" Come on, you gits ," called Ginny," let's put up those ornaments "

She picked up the strand of paper garland that she had made last year for the tree at Grimmauld place and carefully began to string it, watching as Harry meandered into the living room .He was greeted by Remus lupin, who gave him a hug .

Her feeling that it was going to be a wonderful Christmas only intensified more so.

" What are you grinning about ?" snapped Ron, staring forlornly at the tree .

" Nothing " answered Ginny," and don't be such a prat. Be nice for mum's sake "

Ron ignored his sister and began rifling through the box of ornaments laid out for them.

" This is great ," Harry sat across from Remus, grinning broadly ," I didn't think I'd get to see you, Remus. How are you doing ?"

Remus smiled warmly at this young man who was both friend and like a son to him, as well.

" A bit ragged around the edges," admitted Remus, reaching for Tonks hand ," but glad to be here with friends. I wasn't going to come but Nymphadora can be very persuasive "

" He needed a little push …." Tonks shared a loving smile with him.

" Don't be fooled by her toughness, Harry ," teased Remus, " my lovely Tonks knew just what was needed to persuade ..prod me to join everyone here "

" I'll bet she can be " chuckled Harry, thrilled that the Auror and Remus had finally gotten together. Tonks hadn't made it a secret last summer that she loved the quiet werewolf but it had taken him much longer .

" Watch it Arry ," replied Tonks , not unkindly ," so, how are things up at Hogwarts ?"

" I think that Draco Malfoy is up to no good ," confessed Harry, hoping against hope that they would believe him as both Ron and Hermione were still skeptical," I believe that he has become a Death Eater like his father "

" That is rather prejudice, Harry ," shot back Remus ," you've no proof that its true "

Harry began to explain his reasoning behind his theory .

" I know what I saw ," argued back Harry ," Snape is involved too. I heard them talking "

" Dumbledore trusts Snape and we must as well, Harry ," stated Remus, thickly ," you cant allow your dislike of them to color things. We cannot afford to fight amongst ourselves -that is what he wants us to do! If we cannot trust one another then we will lose this war and we mustn't .."

" Remus ," Tonks moved to touch his shoulder, calming him," Harry isn't rowing with you. There isn't any need for you to get upset over this ..come on, lets have a glass of wine "

" I don't think spirits will help that much, Nymph Dora " said a tired Remus .

" It couldn't hurt either so come along then, darling " urged Tonks, evenly.

Harry bit his lip and felt bad that his efforts had only enraged his friend . " I'm sorry "

" No, Harry ," Remus managed a smile ," I am. It has been a difficult month, I am afraid "

Excusing themselves, Tonks led him into the kitchen where Bill was tending the wine .

Harry sighed disheartened and looked at Arthur ." Think I put a damper on Christmas spirit "

" Just put it out of your head for now , Harry, and enjoy the holiday " told Arthur , quietly. They all had a lot on their minds but they could put it aside for now.

" I think I could use a nice glass of that wine myself , Harry "

He stood and turned into the kitchen as Ginny came around the tree, hanging ornaments.

" Don't look so sad ," Ginny placed a handmade snitch ornament in his hand ," Tonks will cheer Remus right up, you'll see. Now hadn't you better hang your ornament ?"

Harry stared with amusement at the painted yellow wooden ornament that he had made his second holiday with the Weasley's.

" My painting sucks ," commented Harry, dryly, as he placed the snitch next to Ginny's Quaffle ornament ," clearly not a talent I have "

" Not more so than that ," laughed Ginny, pointing to her masterpiece ," my brilliant version of a Quaffle of a six year old. That is what makes them so special though.."

" Ginny," started Harry , so that only she could hear him," about you and me , I think.."

She brushed past him, a blur of copper hair and green jumper. " It's magic, Harry ," murmured Ginny, so soft that he had to move closer to hear her ," don't think at all"

Before he could say more , Ginny shrieked and jumped into Charlie's arms as her older brother walked into the house . " Is that my baby sister ?"

" Charlie, you made it !"

Charlie swung her around , kissed her nose, and then set her back down on the floor.

"When did you turn into a gorgeous young woman, Gin? Last summer , you were still a little brat !'

Ginny planted her hands on her hips, eerily reminding them of their mother .

" I am 15!"

Fred clasped his hand, patted his back. " She's still a brat, Charlie !"

" Oh Merlin, Charles Weasley ," Molly elbowed Fred out of the way to hug her eldest son," let me have a look at you! Have they been feeding you ? Were you safe on that Muggle contraption ?"

" Safe as in Dad 's car, Mum " Charlie kissed her cheek," buckled in even "

" It's called an airplane, Molly," Arthur moved in beside his wife to greet his son," and I will expect full detail on the experience, Charlie. I find them fascinating "

" You would have loved it, Dad " stated Charlie , working his way through to the rest of his family for hugs and greetings. He loved his career wrangling dragons but it was always great to come home to his family .

While the rest of the family clamored around Charlie, Ron examined the colorful flower ornament that Hermione had painted 4th year. It wasn't a rose ( which he knew was her favorite ) , just a everyday sort of flower and he remembered how she had taken nearly a half hour painting it the perfect pink to suit her. She was brilliant, of course, but not particarly crafty like Ginny and his Mum were but she would make it nice.

Usually they hung their ornaments side by side, his orange Cannons quaffle beside her flower and here he was holding the stupid, pink ornament and missing Hermione more than he thought it was possible.

He didn't realize that his father was behind him, watching him. " Ron, that you?"

Ron turned around, startled. " Who else would it be, Dad ?"

" Your quiet, son," noted Arthur ," that's usually Harry's place here "

He noted the ornament ," Isn't that Hermione's flower she made a couple years ago?"

Ron slid it onto a branch." Reckon that it is hers ," said Ron," I'd better see Charlie now "

He moved away from his father to slap his older brother on the back in greeting .

Curious, indeed.

Arthur cornered his daughter who was busy in the kitchen helping Fleur prepare tarts.

" Ginny, favorite daughter of mine ," said Arthur ," what's with your brother ?"

" I'm your only daughter ," Ginny handed him a spoon," and which addled brained turnip git of a brother would you be referring to, Dad ?"

" Don't sass me, Ginerva," said Arthur ," I mean, Ronald. He's acting like Harry and it's a bit unnerving to say the least "

" Hermione ," answered Ginny, simply," its all about Hermione "

Fleur lifted her delicate gaze to be included in their conversation." Has Ronald finally realized ze depths of hz feelings for that girl ? I saw it years ago , myself, ..during the Tournament and saw poor Ron's fear "

" It isn't working out between them ?" questioned Arthur , truly not understanding . He had expected the time to come when those two would finally realize they were in love with one another but he hadn't expected his youngest son to be putting up blocks.

Ginny rolled her eyes," It would be if Ron wasn't dating another girl, Dad "

Fleur gasped, out loud. " Another woman! How could he do such a thing ? Why poor, poor Hermione !"

" He's a bloke and a git ," answered Ginny," and Lavender is clearly a tart !"

Arthur sighed in resignation and decided that Ron was more like him that he'd imagined .

Looks like he'd have to have a father/son talk with him, soon.

While Arthur was trying to figure out the best course of action when dealing with Ron, Harry added more ornaments to the colorful tree and took the time to really watch Ginny without her being aware of him doing so. He liked how she tipped her head back when she laughed at whatever Tonks was telling her, he defiantly could appreciate her curves in the soft green jumper and jeans, and if he had to split Ginny and Dean up to finally be with her then he would. He was done being Mr. Nice .

Done pretending that he didn't feel the heat that surrounded them whenever they were together or how her simple touch sent him into hormonal overdrive.

What was astounding was how well she knew him, she understood him so clear and in ways that even Ron and Hermione never did .

" Better not let Mum catch you ogling Ginny's bum " this came from a clever Fred.

Harry froze." I wasn't looking at..that is , why would you even think that, Fred ?"

" Because I'm not blind ," added Fred, all grave and serious for a change ," and it doesn't appear to be just one -sided on my little sisters part, anymore. Also because you've been watching her a lot since you guys got back from the Battle of the Ministry and now "

' I haven't tried anything ," defended Harry ," she's been with Dean "

" The slick git ," George rounded the other corner next to the Christmas tree ," so your saying you want to try something with our sister "

" Okay so it's not going to be a problem ," suggested Harry, warily ," if and when I make my move with Ginny? I am going to and I do want to be with her "

There , he'd said it out loud to two of her brothers .

Except for Hermione , no one else knew of his feelings for Ginny.

George clamped a hand on his shoulder ." Only if you break her heart, Potter "

" I don't plan on hurting her , at all if I can help it ," confessed Harry ," I've been trying to hint about me and Gin to Ron because I prefer not to be murdered by him but he's too wrapped up trying to figure out which girl he really wants to be with "

Fred perked up." Another girl is interested in Ronnie ? What's wrong with her ?"

" Nothing actually ," answered Harry ," she's annoying mainly .She snogs Ron all the time " He made a face " Wait, he never mentioned that he's been dating Lavender for months ?"

" Lavender ," gleamed on George , rubbing his chin," don't believe that he did . I would have remembered such a thing .."

" Is she brain dead or maybe she was under a spell and sort of fainted around our moronic brother ?" asked Fred , eager to go after his younger brother about this new girl.

Relieved that they were no longer going to interrogate him about Ginny , Harry was only too glad to help the twins out with this information.

" Actually Lavender sort of threw herself at Ron," explained Harry ," she's pretty and all but kind of reminds me of a squid "

George and Fred shared the same thoughtful expression and nodded , slightly.

" Bimbo "

" I wouldn't say that but that might work ," agreed Harry," but I think Ron is finally coming round about Hermione ….."

" Which is why he's sulking that she's not here " predicted the twins in unison.

Ron stared at the platter of mini tarts and pies , not having much of an appetite for them.

He could hear the buzz of activity around him as his Mum, Tonks, Fleur , and Ginny put the finishing touches on the meal while Bill and Charlie helped with the distributing wine all around .

" You haven't tried them out yet ?' asked Arthur , nodding towards the desserts.

" No," answered Ron, solemnly ," reckon Mum would kill me if I had a couple before the bird was done . It's good that the family is all here, Dad "

" It is ," agreed Arthur , handing his son a glass of wine ," Your mother is worried that your too quiet and now your not sneaking into the sweets. Care to talk to me, Ron?"

" Hermione hates me, Dad ," sighed Ron, lowly ," and I cant blame her for it "

Arthur urged his son to sit in the armchair that Charlie had deserted then set across from him. " I doubt very much that Hermione could ever hate you, Ron "

Ron looked at him, forlornly. " You didn't hear her, Dad . Believe me , she hates me .Ask Harry and Ginny, they'll tell you that Hermione cant stand to be around me anymore "

He took a gulp of the wine " She said …we're not friends anymore …."

" After what happened at the Ministry," Arthur treaded carefully ," it seemed as if you and Hermione were closer than ever. What could have happened in three months that would make that young woman ever not be your best friend, Ronald ?"

Ron hung his head, ashamed ." I've sort of been dating Lavender Brown for a while "

" I see ," Arthur took a drink, motioned absently with his wand and his glass refilled as did Ron's," and this was while you were seeing Hermione ?"

" Hermione and I weren't exactly seeing ," struggled Ron, raking a hand through his hair ," okay, things had sort of changed since the hospital , Dad . Between me and Mione but we never made any promises to each other….I didn't even kiss her this summer "

" You wanted to," went on Arthur ," you two weren't exactly subtle, son"

" Yeah that's true but then Ginny said that Hermione had kissed Victor Bloody Krum ," said Ron, angrily ," and Lavender was sexy ! She wanted me, Dad ! Not Harry, me ! I couldn't help it - she was literally throwing herself at me "

But he didn't believe himself, any longer " Lav was a big mistake "

" Be hard for a man to resist " understood Arthur, all too well.

" Exactly ! "

" Did you end it with this Lavender ?" asked Arthur ," wouldn't be right for you to lead her on, no matter how loose she is with her favors. You let her down kindly "

Ron felt his ears go scarlet" I tried chucking her but she's sort of scary "

" You shouldn't be with another girl when your professing your true feelings for Hermione ," scolded Arthur , gently ," else it wouldn't be sincere . Have you tried making amends with Hermione , I hope ?"

" I helped her with her trunk and I tried to talk to her ," admitted Ron," but I hurt her real bad, Dad . How do I fix that when she doesn't even want to sit next to me , let alone talk to me ?"

" Do I even want to know exactly how you hurt Hermione's feelings ?"

" I was an ass," sighed Ron, thickly ," I don't really want to go into it. I was really stupid and I didn't think….how do I get Hermione back ?"

Arthur grew earnest , patted his son on the back, and concurred ," Be honest with her . Tell her what you've told me and that you've messed up-she knows more than anyone that your not perfect. Fight for her, prove to her that she matters the most to you, and that she is the only woman for you. Hermione is that for you. Isn't she ,Ron?"

" Yes ," stated Ron without a seconds hesitation," she is..Hermione is everything "

" Then be a Weasley ," encouraged Arthur , helpfully ," and go get your girl "

Ron finished his drink, determination in him. He knew where to start now " Thanks Dad "

He stood and moved across the room towards the kitchen and the pies -he was absolutely starved !

Arthur ran a hand in his own hair , sighing heavily as he stared across the room at Molly, lovingly. Her red curls mussed from the kitchen heat , her blue eyes sharp as she wagged a finger at Charlie as he tried to cut a slice of the Christmas cake , and loved her even more. He'd been 16 when he'd fallen headlong for Molly Prewett and hadn't regretted a moment of their life together. Of course , he had made mistakes at 17, doozies, and he'd had Charlotte Linz as a bad choice and a distraction from his Molly so he truly understood what his youngest son was going through.

Lost in his own contemplation, Arthur didn't realize that Bill had joined him.

" Ron's became a man. So has Harry "

" They have ," sighed Arthur , accepting the mead ," don't mention it to your mother "

" Mum is bound to notice sooner or later ," chuckled Bill," Ron finally figured out that he's in love with Hermione then ?"

" Apparently ," said Arthur ," and has mucked his chances pretty good. Poor Ron has his work cut out for him…but I have faith. He'll win Hermione back. That girl is madly in love with him as well "

" Mucking things up is part of our Weasley charm," said Bill," Fleur and I had several fights before we got together .She thought I was a bit arrogant, Dad "

" Shocking, Bill," joked Arthur, flashing a smile ," Ginny is nearly sixteen soon "

" Gorgeous as ever my little has grown up," remarked Bill ," shall I point out that Harry isn't looking the least bit brotherly towards her? Actually he hasn't taken his eyes off of Ginny all day …."

Arthur nodded," Quiet, William, take pity on your dad. I am pretending not to notice Harry and Ginny and praying your Mum is too emotional to notice "

" Mum notices everything, Dad " reminded Bill as if his father could have forgotten.

"It's the holiday, Bill," corrected Arthur ," we're pretending .It could be my present '

" Whatever you want, Dad " chuckled Bill, refilling both their glasses with fine wine .

Meanwhile ,Harry caught hold of Ginny's hand as she stepped around the corner to the pantry . " Ginny," said Harry, lowering his voice," stop isn't Quid ditch "

She turned around and smiled widely at him. " I'm not running anywhere , Harry "

Which gave him the confidence to say what he was thinking . " Maybe we could find the mistletoe that your Dad hung up around here ?"

Ginny was very tempted but she also knew about Harry and Cho Chang's first kiss beneath a mistletoe last year and didn't care to be his follow up.

" I don't really think that mistletoe is necessary "

His face fell in disappointment ." Did I misunderstand , Ginny? I thought…"

She moved closer so that they were a hairsbreadth from each other .

" No, you didn't ,' corrected Ginny, very softly ," but you don't need to make up an excuse just to kiss me, Harry "

His eyes sparked with excitement as he closed the distance between them." Good "

" Harry, Ginny," Charlie stepped into the pantry ," does it take the both of you to get the sugar ?" His brown eyes, much like his sisters , gleamed teasingly at them as they sprang apart . He refrained from laughing at the panic written all over Harry's face and wondered if the twins had raised the kitty on the bet .

" She forgot the cinnamon," Harry reached blindly for a small bottle and held it up," so, I thought ..that I would help her …get them , Charlie "

Ginny glared icily at her older brother ." Don't be so nosey, Charlie " She grabbed the bowl of sugar and marched past him and back into the noisy kitchen.

Harry felt his face turn scarlet but he tried to keep his cool about him.

" I should go to," stated Harry ," I ..haven't had much of a visit with Bill and Fleur yet "

Charlie reached out and took the spice from him." Mum probably wont need garlic "

Harry blanched ," Charlie, it really wasn't what it looked like , with me and Ginny "

" So you weren't trying to snog my sister ?' questioned Charlie with a laugh

Harry blew out a breath." Okay , so it was like that but don't say anything .Ron doesn't know about me and Ginny and he is about to snap any moment now as it is "

Charlie draped an arm around his shoulder ," Ronnie is having issues. Brilliant though I am painfully hurt that this is the first I am learning of them and me the oldest of them all. Why don't you fill me in so that I can torment my little brother ? As for your secret , it is perfectly safe with me unless ,Harry, you cause Ginny any unnecessary pain then I vow to break all of your legs "

" Thanks, Charlie ," said Harry, giving him a dubious look," and I don't ever want to hurt Ginny "

" No doubt in my mind ," retorted Charlie, glibly ," and since I love you like my other brother , Harry Potter , its only natural you help me in return. Now don't be stingy with the truth about Ron…"

" Ron will kill me , You know," reiterated Harry, having said the same to Fred and George ," and I don't wish to be killed by my best friend "

" Ah, you two have been best mates too long for him to hold that much of a grudge ," told Charlie, knowingly ," I'll wager 2 Galleons it has to do with his lovely girlfriend, Miss. Granger . "

" I don't think they've actually made it to that step in their relationship " said Harry ," why aren't you tearing into me over Ginny right now ?"

" Because Mum isn't emotionally ready to hear that her three youngest are having relationships around her ," decided Charlie , gravely," and with the house being watched all of the time , she doesn't need us upsetting her even more so. Ginny is the only girl and the baby, Harry. I don't have to tell you how nuts Mum will finally be when you two decide to go official …"

Harry nodded," I thought Mrs. .Weasley liked me "

" Mum adores you but she can be mental ," informed Charlie ," don't be daft, Harry. Now enough , what is this about my dear brother ?"

" Ron was two-timing Hermione ," answered Harry, gravely," sort of ..I guess, with Lavender Brown that he's been dating "

" Loyal , little Ron cheating ," Charlie feigned outrage," hard to believe .I never thought I would hear of that unless it was about myself or George but never Ronnie . More with the info and I should be able to lighten up the mood considerably "

Walking companionly side by side and discussing the sad state of Ron, they walked into the happy sight in the kitchen that brought warmth straight to Harry's heart .

Celistina Warbuck was warbling " Have a Merry Hippogriff Christmas " and Arthur unceremonially grabbed Molly and twirled her around the kitchen table in a make-shift dance . Bill caught Fleur around the waist, planted a kiss on her mouth while Fred and George pirouetted around a scowling Ron. Charlie bowed at George and joined in the fun as a unusually reserved Remus whispered something in Tonks ear, she giggled in a manner not like herself and went into his arms for an impromptu dance of their own.

Harry couldn't help the happiness that overwhelmed him of the presence of his family as he found Ginny and much to her wonder and surprise , spun her around as Ron looked on.

Winterbourne, England

The Grangers were more reserved than the Weasleys as they shared a lovely Christmas supper around the formal dining table then moved into the living room to decorate the tree. Hermione watched as her parents shared a kiss while they placed her worn stocking on the mantle . She handled the delicate silver ball, gently, surveying the words on it with love and wistfulness. It read 'Eric and Lydia's First Christmas Together "

Her mother had bought it their first year together at the university.

Funny, this summer she had been so sure that she and Ron would have this Christmas to share as a couple. Their first Christmas with kisses under the mistletoe and cuddling in front of the Weasley fireplace , and being teased by Harry and Ginny.

Oh how she missed Ron something terrible !

" So, your not off to Bulgaria to visit Victor nor are you at the Burrow to be with Ron," brought up her aunt Sophie , a pretty ,young woman with a willowy frame and a chic , caramel bob," very weird indeed . You are 17, Hermione , and I have to wonder something ..are you making them vy for your attentions ?"

Hermione placed the ornament on the tree and turned to face her favorite aunt . " Victor and I are only friends ," informed Hermione ," we haven't dated since I was a 4th year "

" that doesn't explain why you aren't begging Lyd and your Dad that you must spend this time with the bloke your madly in love with either , Hermione " pointed out Sophie .

Hermione smoothed her brown and cream sweater , nervously . " Don't be ridiculous , Aunt Sophie ," protested Hermione ," that is ridiculous for you to think I am in love with Ron "

It sounded very weak to her own ears but perhaps if she kept repeating it over and over .

However, Sophie was 25 and worldly in the ways of love, and knew her niece well.

" You may be able to pull that one over on your mother ," Sophie rolled her eyes at the mention of her well intentioned older sister ," but I know better. You've been in love with that wizard since you were 14 and you just keep falling harder . Don't deny it "

" Aunt Soph," started Hermione ," it's been a really long term. Ron..he doesn't share those same feelings for me and that is all there is to it . Just tell me how the States were and where all your photography has taken you as it is much more exciting than my own life at Hogwarts, I am quite sure "

" No changing the subject ," wagged Sophie, concerned ," I have never told your mother a word that you've confided in me. I wouldn't but I cant imagine that you would just up and fall out of love with Ron after all this time .Unless Harry has stolen your heart "

Hermione's laughter was dry." That is absurd. Harry is like a brother to me "

" Hermione ," Sophie lowered her voice so that Lydia and Eric wouldn't overhear ," after this little incident that happened and to which you refused to give me proper details to and that I haven't pushed for, I received a 10 page letter regaling me about how strong and gentle and caring Ron was to you. Half of said letter was about how different things were now between you and Ron but in a good way, so, fess up as the Americans say. What has happened that has sent my brave niece scurrying home to the folks ?"

Hermione hissed through her teeth, annoyed. " Fine .I will tell you then that is all I am discussing as I need to use this holiday to concentrate on actually having a life that doesn't include Ron in it .So far its just been words on my part because , well , it has been more than a little difficult at school lately ….."

Instantly her aunt saw right through her façade. " The jerk is with another girl "

" A dim-witted bimbo named Lavender Brown ," choked out Hermione , painfully ," she hangs all over Ron and treats him as if he's her own….boy toy or something "

Sophie lifted a brow." A boy-toy? My very articulate niece said boy toy "

Hermione made a face. " Yes, I did and Ron just lets her . He has made it very clear to me that he never made me any promises and that he wants her. Not me …I didn't want to accept it at first and a part of me is dying because of it but its been three months and Ron is still with Lavender. I have to just get over him "

Sophie squeezed her wrist ," Understood though I do think you should tell him how you feel about him first, dear. However I will drop the subject and let you have a go at it "

" Hermione , dear," interceded Lydia , holding up a painted Gurdyroot with disdain ," an owl just delivered this-ornament - with your name on it. What exactly is it ?"

" Clearly is must be something magical, Lyd ," mused Eric, who was fascinated with their daughters magical life that they didn't fully understand all that much," honest, sweetheart, I don't believe that thing will bite "

He glanced at his daughter as she took the ornament ," Will it, Hermione ?"

" No, it doesn't bite ," Hermione noticed that her talented friend had painted swirling pink roses around the Gurdyroot ," it's for luck. My friend Luna must have sent it for me "

" Luna ," Lydia tried to familiarize herself with the name ," is that the girl who has the vegetable earrings and doesn't care to wear shoes ?"

" That is Luna ," Hermione hung the ornament with care ," she's a sweetheart, Mum"

" If you say so, dear ," replied Lydia," Hermione , we might have company later. Perhaps you could hang that in the back where it is less noticeable …"

" Lydia ," intercepted Eric ," Hermione's friend sent it. It would be rude to hide it "

" The Whitfield's may stop over for cocktails and carols ," smiled Lydia ," Timothy is back from the University and is quite anxious to see Hermione "

" Lydia ," said Sophie ," Don't you think that Hermione is old enough to pick her own dates ?"

" Timothy is from a well respected family, Sophie ," explained Lydia ," he intends to become a doctor and he adores Hermione . They make a nice match…."

" Says you and not your daughter , Sis " commented Sophie, simply.

Hermione had to bite her tongue as she helped herself to a glass of eggnog. Timothy was nice and extremely boring and he didn't have one ounce of passion in him as far as she was concerned . Her 4th year, he had tried to kiss her during tea and it had been nothing.

Quite staid and boring . She hadn't felt a thing for Tim in the least.

Of course compared to Ron , there didn't seem to be anyone else that stirred her emotions up and thrilled her to the core .Just being in the same room as Ron made her toes tingle and none of this would help her in her resolve to get over the prat.

Not that Ron had ever kissed her but oh how she dreamed it so!

It was going to be an extremely long holiday if she didn't knock this off !

The Whitfields arrived promptly at eight and Hermione was polite to Timothy .She even tried to find him interesting as he regaled her with tales of his classes at the college but her mind kept wandering back to the Burrow instead.

Did make her Christmas cake with the dancing snowman doing figure eights around it before Ron cut into it ?

Would they still hang her ornaments on the tree ? She always hung hers side by side with the ones that Ron made as if it would make them closer.

Stop it, stop it, stop it !

Torturing herself over Ron was not going to help her get over the moron any faster and she would be lectured for her rudeness by her mother . Mum was all but planning her wedding to Timothy and the thought of that made her want to vomit .

She somehow managed to paste a cheerful look on her face and talked idly about her own classes and studies for the next hour until blessedly the Whitfield's left.

Hermione glanced out the window, watching the snowflakes fall, and thought of the orange scarf she had knitted for Ron hidden in her trunk and her heart ached .

His Christmas present she worked so hard on and that she couldn't give to him.

Around 10, Hermione feigned exhaustion and went to her room, needing to be by herself.

Her aunt had snuck her a present and now she took the time to lift the lid , Hermione let out a tiny gasp as she pulled out a delicate cream silk nightgown.

It was long and shirred at the shoulders with just a hint of lace at the bodice and meant for romance.

It was the loveliest gown that Hermione had ever seen and so different from her simple pajamas that she normally wore to bed.

This gown was to be worn for a night of romance , a night of passion and love.

Her lips trembled as she could imagine in her dreams how Ron would react, how his blue eyes would darken with passion, his gentle touch, his strong arms holding her tight as he plundered her lips letting her know how much he loved her .

It was a dream, a fantasy, and one that would never happen to her .

Perhaps she should tuck this away for if she ever married .

Her heart close to the surface, Hermione was stunned when a tiny owl flew into her room and dropped a box on the bed. " Pig widgeon "

The owl chattered and implored her to open the box" What are you doing here ?"

The box wasn't very big and it was wrapped in plain brown paper and tied with a string of pale pink hair ribbon. Ginny would have been creative enough to use ribbon-after all, wasn't she always badgering her to try something new with her hair ?But she had a feeling that it wasn't from Ginny but another Weasley or perhaps it was only wishful thinking on her part. Hermione chewed on her lower lip, carefully, slid the ribbon off and opened the box, unsure of what she would find inside .

" This is silly ," she berated herself , pulling the paper back," Deluxe Sugar Quills'

Unbidden, tears glistened in her eyes and she knew instinctively that these weren't from Harry or Ginny. A small piece of parchment was folded inside with her name scrawled across it and she traced the aching familiarity of his handwriting .

**Hermione ,**

**I didn't want to forget. I haven't -I know these are your favorites and I wanted you to have them. Even if your still mad at me. Happy Christmas !**

**Love,**

**Ron **

" Oh , Ron," sighed Hermione , holding the note close to her heart," I love you "

Then curling up in a ball, Hermione cried for the beam of hope that he had dropped back into her shattered heart as a sliver of it tried to work through the pain and the hurt .

**Five miles from the Burrow **

The Lovegood Home

If the Weasleys crooked house was a mishmash of architecture then the Lovegood home could have easily passed as a home inside the tree by design. The parlor was attached to the tiny kitchen which enabled father and daughter to converse as they readied for the holiday. Luna was contemplating a box of homemade ornaments as she decided which she should put on the small tree. Her father had managed to bedeck the fireplace mantle with sprigs of greenery and berries and nestled between them engraved silver candlesticks that had belonged to her mother .

Luna studied a bright orange painted pinecone and chattered on about her friends.

" This term has been especially tragic and heartbreaking for my friends ," rattled off Luna ," I mean , it is awful enough that the war could reach Hogwarts anytime now but in the meantime all of my dear friends have lost their minds "

Xeno looked up from the duck he was preparing to stare at her animated face .

" He Who Shall Not Be Named has cursed them or perhaps it's the pull of the burning moon having a powerful effect on them "

Luna hung the pinecone ." Oh, it isn't You Know Who or Harry would have surely said something . He is very considerate, Daddy. No, it is as if several love spells were turned upside down and landed on the wrong person instead .." She paused " Thank Merlin, it hasn't affected me and Neville at all but Ginny insists upon still dating Dean even thought the air is thicker than molasses when she and Harry are together "

Xeno tried to follow her ." Ginny is Arthur and Molly's daughter ," recalled Xeno," your friend that invited you to join Dumbledore's army . Right ?"

" That's correct ," Luna found a piece of dried lavender and tucked it into a branch ," she was the friend that also suggested that I give Neville a chance after the Ministry . I believe that she's quite frightened of having her dream of Harry come true but she just doesn't want to listen to me "

He stuffed the pan into the oven and wiped his hand on the purple dishtowel.

" Luna," brought up Xeno," this is off the record, I hope. Harry Potter is the Chosen One and just now you've given me a glimpse into his love life. Readers enjoy that . The Prophet still has him linked with your Muggle friend and this would scoop them…"

Luna forgot the ornaments as hurt flashed across her face. " of course this is off the record ! " admonished Luna, raising her voice louder than normal," Haven't you listened to a word I have said, Daddy ? These are my friends and what's going on in their lives and this hasn't anything to do with the Quibbler ….this is me trying to talk with my own father "

Xeno hung his head, shamed by the truth of her outburst. These days , the paper consumed him day and night .

" Forgive me," pleaded Xeno," I wasn't thinking . How do you feel about your friends entanglements , pumpkin ?"

" I have been trying to help ," Luna found her mums pink candles and waved them over to land squarely in their holders ," Ginny's stubborn and I don't fully understand Weasley logic. Her brother Ron- you know that he and Harry are roommates with Neville -is in the most hideous mess that he created by kissing another girl in front of poor Hermione.

She , Hermione , that is spends most of her days crying over Ron. Anyone with eyes that actually open can see that she is hopelessly in love with Ron .."

Xeno wished that Juliet was still alive for this chat as he tried his hardest with their daughter but all this gossip and girl stuff he really didn't understand . Normally, his dreamy eyed girl mainly discussed her studies of the flora and animals at the school or who was kind to her. She seemed to have suddenly grown into a young woman in a short three months and had her own social life that included good friends and a boyfriend .

" We've had a burning moon for a couple of nights now," tossed in Xeno, hoping for the best ," your Mum always used to say its power had the ability to twitterpate folks "

" You never used to believe her, Daddy " reminded Luna, pouring herself a glass of huckleberry juice. She had grown tired of pumpkin juice.

" Your mother was always the romantic ," admitted Xeno, sadly ," she believed in it. I loved her and that was all that mattered to me. Your so much like her "

She circled around him, adding berries to the cake batter he'd just taken from the refrigerator . " I miss Mum too," said Luna, softly," and according to Firenze in my Divination class, the pull of the moon could be the cause of all of this lovesickness going round Hogwarts "

She paused to straighten her fathers bowtie. " You are fond of my boyfriend , I hope "

This time, Xeno managed a smile that was true. " Your boyfriend hasn't gotten my ire up at the slightest . Neville is quieter than the kind of bloke I reckoned you to fancy "

" Yes, well, it didn't take me long to figure that my crush on Ron Weasley was destined to be one-sided ," chuckled Luna ,amused at herself," it was a little crush, really. Ron is very handsome though he never gave me a second glance that way -what with him being in love with Hermione and all. Harry is all devil-may-care this year but there's never been any sort of romantic attraction, if you were wondering "

Xeno grabbed Luna and wrapped an arm around her waist, kissing his daughters cheek.

" My daughter and the famous Harry Potter," laughed Xeno," that would be something "

Luna looked stern but failed," Daddy, stop. I am in love with Neville "

Xeno sighed and gave up all pretense of understanding and registering that his little girl was a young woman in love with a boy.

Neville wasn't a boy .He was 17 and a man.

No wonder Augusta Longbottom had her ire up- it hadn't actually occurred to him it was of the serious nature of love.

It was one thing if the old bat implied it but something else entirely when his daughter informed him it was real and true.

" You love him," repeated Xeno on a ragged sigh," when exactly did this happen ? Is it serious ? Do we need to be having a talk or maybe it would just be for the best if you discussed this with a woman? Molly was a friend of your Mums and perhaps if I asked her, she would be kind enough to answer any questions you might have "

Luna kissed the top of his head." I don't know that, yet. All I can tell you is that Neville and I share some of the same dreams . He makes me feel special "

" Did you look for him?" inquired Xeno as his daughter had inherited Juliet's ability with scrying .She had seen their marriage as well as the birth of Luna except her own imminent death hadn't been privy to her.

It saddened him when he took time to remember it.

" I didn't ," admitted Luna," I think we sort of stumbled into each other "

She slid from her father's lap and surveyed what needed to be done still," Have you hidden my presents in the garden this Christmas or in Mum's old trunk perhaps ?"

" That is your surprise, young lady ," said Xeno," now that you've nearly given me heart failure , shall we set another place at the table for Neville ?"

" His favorite uncle in the world just arrived ," answered Luna ," didn't I tell you this already ? Neville just doesn't get to spend all that much time with him so I am thinking perhaps tonight isn't the night . Unless his grandmother hurt his feelings really terribly then I expect an owl tomorrow "

" So Christmas eve tonight is merely us " commented Xeno.

He concentrated on pouring the cake batter into the pan and sent it flying into the other open stove. " Now onto us forgetting we've had this little chat ,Luna, and did you exchange gifts with your friends already ? I sent extra money so you had the funds .."

" Three Galleons was more than enough ," told Luna ," Lumos Maxima ! "

With a swish of her wand , she lit her mothers favorite candles and set the room ablaze with light. It was a lovely sight to behold .

" Oh, us girls traded gifts ," went on Luna ," Hermione knitted me this cute ,lopsided red hat .It is quite warm and I think it was one of the first hats she has made .It has much thought into it and I really do love it "

Xeno made noncommittal noises to let her know that he was indeed paying attention.

" Ginny got me this lovely bracelet ," Luna held her hand out for him to see the chunky Connemara bead bracelet that adorned her wrist ," they are very dear friends to me. I truly feel as if I have real friends this year, Daddy "

" That's great ," enthused Xeno as his Decoy Detonator went off outside ," Luna, get down! Do as I say now !"

Luna raised an arched brow," Who is after you, Daddy ?"

He grabbed her arm and shoved her behind the brocade sofa." Do as I say! "

Wand at the ready, a reluctant Luna watched with wariness as her father crept to the door then flung it open. " I will not give in! Tell your Dark Lord that the truth will live on in print ! "

A toad sat on the steps in front of the front door as Xeno furtively searched for any signs of Death Eaters on their property. There didn't appear to be anyone .

" Ribbit " croaked the dark green toad.

A soft winter wind wafted across his face as the slight spectral of a woman with big ,silvery eyes and thick, curly blonde hair whispered in the air," Christmas is here"

Xeno froze " Juliet ?" He whispered as Luna met him at the door.

" Daddy ?" asked Luna , her wand firm in her hand as she stopped behind him and felt her mothers presence ," Oh, why we were just missing you, Mum"

The air hummed with magic as the wispy outline smiled ," Be a family' then a fierce wind blew across and she was gone, if she had been there , at all.

" I suppose that was your Mum's way of telling me to drop all of this and concentrate on making this a spectacular holiday for you ," Xeno draped an arm round Luna's shoulder ," should have known after all this time, she wouldn't let us ignore one another "

" Mum always did love Christmas ," said Luna ," now come along inside, we've carols to sing "

Xeno glanced back down at the toad ." How about We wish You a Merry Hippogriff ..that was always your favorite when you were little "

" It still is my favorite " agreed Luna , softly ," such a fun song "

" Luna ," inquired a confused Xeno," why is your mother sending us a toad for Christmas ?"

Luna chuckled," Oh, that's not any old toad .It is Trevor "

" I don't understand ," replied Xeno," should we bring it in? Is it a message for me ? Your mother did love to torment me with riddles and such…"

" It's for me ," stated Luna, tilting her head towards the heavens ," thanks, Mum. I promise that I'll send for Neville first thing in the morning and Mum, Happy Christmas "

Closing the circular door behind her, Luna started caroling with her father .

**London**

**The Longbottom Flat **

If Luna's home was as whimsical as the Burrow then the flat of Augusta Longbottom was neat as a pin and modest with traces of her beloved husbands wealth sprinkled among the elegant furnishings. Everything in the parlor gleamed of lemon and matched perfectly ,save for the worn tweed sofa that had belonged to Neville's parents when they had first married. Augusta detested the piece, despite that it belonged to her daughter , but her grandson was very adamant about keeping it.

When he moved out, it would go with him.

" More nog, Algie ?" asked Augusta , holding out a tray of crystal filled with eggnog ," you must be parched after the long trip that you've had "

" Thanks, Gusta," said Algie, accepting the drink," Charlie and I had some wine on the flight but I never pass up your nog "

He was Frank's younger brother and the same age as Charlie Weasley" Now that we've gotten all the dull manners out of the way, I want to hear more about this mysterious girl that my favorite nephew is dating "

" Dating is such a strong word , Algie ," countered Augusta ," seeing is more apt "

" It's one and the same ," corrected Neville with a groan," and I've already told you her name is Luna, Uncle "

" Tall, redhead, and bosomy ?" asked Algie as he and Neville shared a chuckle, which earned them both a scowl from a disapproving Augusta .

" I will go check on supper " allowed Augusta, allowing them male bonding time.

" Grand ," said Algie," so is she slutty . According to your Gran she has to be and your whole gentlemanly reputation is ruined forever "

" Luna isn't any of that ," defended Neville, forthright ," she's dreamy, funny, and she can see everything very clearly that she amazes me. Oh, and she's blonde and small, Algie "

" I stand corrected ," conceded Algie , assessing him with a bachelors keen eye ," and your obviously insane over her . Its all over your face, Neville! God, tell me it isn't so? Didn't I tell you to play the field ? I know I did and…..how many Hufflepuff girls have you managed to snog before Luna ?"

" I am not you,Algie . I only snog Luna ," said an exasperated Neville," I thought you would at least be happy that I found someone "

" Damn, your sounding like Frank ," retorted Algie ," he was horns waggled by your Mum when he was your age, you know "

A flash of pain at the mention of his parents flickered behind Neville's eyes then disappeared . " I thought you and I could go visit them , without Gran "

Algie was quiet but nodded. He missed his older brother but the shell that existed of Frank in the mental ward of haunted him for days after he visited .

" They still don't know us, Neville," replied Algie, bluntly," I know that you know it as much as I do. It doesn't make them any better when we spend an hour talking to them ..I wish to Merlin it did but it doesn't . I don't know if it ever will "

" I have well over 100 Drooble wrappers from Mum," replied Neville, earnestly ," she's been giving them to me every time I visit her and Dad. If I don't believe that some part of them recognize that I am their son then Bellatrix Lestrange will have won and I ..I can't …I ..wont have that "

" That's your call," said Algie with understanding ," and you don't need anyone to go with you, Neville. Merlin, your nearly seventeen and a man so if you feel this strongly about visiting them then I say go "

" Grandmother will have a fit " realized Neville as they listened to her move about in the small dining room . No doubt adjusting the good silver and fine china goblets.

" Your nearly a man," stated Algie ," she needs to get used to the idea "

" I suppose your right about that part too " agreed Neville , evenly .

Gathering every ounce of his Gryffindor courage, Neville decided it was now or never.

" I'm going to use the Floo," informed Neville , striding directly to the fireplace," I wont be long but you might tell her not to hold dinner for me, Algie "

" Damn," chuckled Algie," Frank would sure as hell be proud of you, Neville "

Neville ducked into the fireplace , grabbed a handful of powder, and tossed it with a forceful" St. Mungoes Hospital, the Mental Ward " .

Then he was gone .

" Neville Longbottom," exclaimed Augusta as he disappeared ," where do you think you are going …dinner is nearly finished ! Neville ! " she turned to glare at Algie ," I demand an explanation , right this moment. I swear to Merlin and the Saints Above, I will wring your neck if you sent him off on some wild adventure to bring his daffy girlfriend back here !"

" Oh, relax, Augusta," Algie popped a piece of crystallized ginger in his mouth," he went to visit his folks " He noticed a school picture of Luna tucked into his nephew's Herbalogy book and appraised her as men tended to do," the bloke is a man, close enough to one so you should let him be. Hmm, you know , his little girlfriend isn't sore on the eyes, at all "

" Her father runs the Quibbler " reminded Augusta, folding the dishrag she held.

" So, she's a truthful sort of girl ," commented Algie ," I think it's great that a certified plant geek managed to get a girl as pretty as this Luna is, that's all "

She couldn't help but sigh as if exhausted. " She certainly isn't the sort of girl I imagined Neville falling for ..I wish his Mum were here to deal with this aspect of Neville's growing up. I am afraid I have said all the wrong things to him…Alice would have probably encouraged this romance "

" You've done fine with him," stated Algie ," just allow Neville a breather more "

Neville landed outside the mental ward in record time and hesitated before entering : he should have thought to have brought his parents their presents .Still, it was a reason for him to chicken out and he really didn't want to do that. He wasn't exactly sure what it was he needed to say, only that he felt it was imperative .

It was nearing seven in the evening and they would be sitting down to eat or listening to carols on the wireless. Heart heavy, Neville pushed open the door and walked towards the corner that his parents shared. He passed a babbling Gilderoy Lockhart , who was busily scrawling autographs and talking to himself.

" Merry Christmas, professor Lockhart " called Neville, politely.

His parents were easy to spot as they were huddled together on a bed, almost as if they were cuddling. He'd never seen them in a lucid moment but he tucked the sight to the back of his mind for safe keeping. His Mum's unusually short black hair had grown nearly to her shoulders and his Dad was wearing a yellow tie over his pajama top, making his son smile. He'd seen pictures and knew that he got his practical, if not keen fashion sense from his own father. It was nice.

He approached them and they looked up at him.

" Hi Mum and Dad ," greeted Neville, plunging forward ," it's Christmas Eve. I see someone has decorated a little tree for you…Gran already has ours decorated "

Alice gibbered at him as if she was a toddler. She patted the side of the bed, over and over.

Neville sat down and hoped it wouldn't upset them.

His Mum tended to get overly excited and upset easily. His Dad was always silent.

" I'll be 17 in a couple of weeks ," continued Neville ," a man. Uncle Algie is full of jokes about the fact as you can imagine . He thinks its funny that his geeky nephew has a girlfriend …I have a girlfriend . Her name is Luna "

His Mum smiled at him and he felt as if she really was listening to him .

" Luna is the sweetest girl that I have ever met and I love her "

Frank twitched slightly and put a hand on his wives arm. A bare flicker of what one would say was emotion passed in his eyes as if he understood the importance of what his son was confiding in them.

" Gran doesn't like her. I don't really care but I want to bring her in to meet you two so you can see how special she is to me. I think you will like Luna very much "

Carefully, Neville reached out and touched his mothers hand , expecting her to flinch as she always did. " I hope you somehow understand me and know how much I love the both of you. Grandmother has been great but it isn't the same as if I were telling my Dad how afraid I was to fight alongside Harry and the others or ask my Mum how I should ask a girl out. I didn't dare ask Gran. Thank Merlin for the guys I room with at Hogwarts…."

Frank caught his sons eye and uttered one word ," Kind "

A lump filled Neville's throat as he stared dumbfounded at his father , who hadn't spoken a word to his son since he was three.

" Dad ," Neville's voice was hoarse ," Dad, did you just speak ?"

Only Frank merely smiled, dazed at him.

" of course not, I'm imagining things now ," Neville shook his head as if to clear it," I think I am too old to be wanting that " He brushed a kiss across his Mum's cheek ," Well, I promise to come back with Luna next time .She lights up the whole room, I promise "

Neville stood, turned to leave, and his mother clamped a hand down on his wrist.

" Nev-ille "

" MUM! " Silent tears rolled down Neville's cheeks but he didn't care .

" This is the best Christmas ever . Thank you ,both. I love you, Mum and Dad "

For one simple moment , the Longbottom family connected hearts and that was the best Christmas present that Neville could have asked for.


	15. Chapter 16

Later that evening , Harry found himself waiting on the landing , hoping for a private moment with Ginny. There hadn't been any chance during the afternoon as everyone discussed Bill and Fleur's upcoming wedding, Fred and George's shop, and just enjoying being a family . He was hoping to catch Ginny before she went on up to her bedroom.

They really needed to talk seriously about what was going on between them.

" Harry ," Ginny clad in pale blue pajamas and a long pink robe , met him," has Ron gone up to bed ? " She pushed her long hair off of her shoulders," I thought you had went to sleep as well …."

" Yeah " answered Harry, blindly.

God, she really was stunning !

There wasn't anything particularly alluring about her nightclothes -she could have been wearing something quite sexy for he had the intense desire to pull her into his arms and take her mouth. His desire to kiss her was growing by the hour it seemed .

No longer did he want to deny this pull of attraction that existed between them.

" It's a bit late. Isn't it ?" muttered Ginny, noted he still wore his street clothes.

" Nearly midnight ," Harry shifted to stare into her calm eyes," I wanted to see you "

Her red lips curved in an irresistible grin," Really, Harry ?"

" Have I mentioned how you remind me of summer " Harry blurted out

.

Her heart twisted and she willed herself not to melt into a puddle at his feet.

" You always enjoy the summer " observed Ginny, feeling especially giddy.

She had to test the water, dip a toe in, and plunge deeper into this new barely explored uncharted territory. Needs churned inside of her and she saw its reflection in Harry's own green eyes.

If it made her a horrible person, she would likely pay a penance for it later on.

It didn't matter right now, she didn't care , because it was really her and Harry.

If she opened her eyes in the morning and found that nothing had changed then at least she would always carry with her memories of a cozy Christmas spent with the man that she was in love with.

" I know I shouldn't …you have a boyfriend " said Harry, reaching out , sifted a fine strand of copper hair through his hand . Ginny nearly purred as if she were a cat.

" I have been fascinated with your hair lately ," confessed Harry," I love how it shines when you zoom by on the pitch, all copper and silk "

Her heart hammered erratically against her heart. " I think about us too "

" Good but your still with Dean " It wasn't a question but a statement .

He had broached , tried to talk about it before but they kept getting interrupted by all of her brothers. It was a bit maddening !

Ginny chewed on her bottom lip, afraid to bring Dean back into the evening .

" Sort of ," stammered Ginny, nervously ," it …it hasn't really been working "

" So you don't want to be with Dean anymore ? I really need to know, Gin "

" No, I don't want to be with him," admitted Ginny," I haven't for a while now but I could hardly break his heart for the holidays . It didn't seem right at all….but I will once we get back to Hogwarts , Harry "

Harry took a step forward ," That would be nice "

One level above them, Fleur stepped out of Ginny's room and watched the delicacy of the moment and sensed that her almost sister needed a hand to cut through the thickness that permeated the air on the landing . She could feel it all the way up here .

" Ginerva ," called Fleur ," there you are . I was worried since I hadn't seen you come back from the loo…not safe to be roaming about the house at this late hour "

Ginny blew out a tremulous breath and contemplated the many ways she could murder Bill's fiancée. Why couldn't she just mind her own business ?

" I am perfectly safe, Fleur ," shouted Ginny," as you can see . I was just stopping to say goodnight to Harry .."

" Right and I wanted to thank her for ..the present " added Harry, nervously.

" Darling, there you are " Bill snuck across to meet his fiancée," isn't everyone gone to bed now ? I thought you were going to meet me….'

" I hardly think so, William, and have your family think I am ze biggest tart " scolded Fleur , nodding at the scene unfolding below them.

He followed her gaze and found a now angry looking Ginny and an embarrassed Harry standing awfully close together .

" Merlin's Pants, Ginny, Harry ," admonished Bill with a teasing tone," aren't the stairs a bit risky for a midnight tryst?"

" We were saying goodnight ," stated Ginny , primly," as if its any of your business , Bill"

She knew that another precious moment had passed with Harry and she wasn't likely to get another one at this house. Not with all of her family about and their noseiness.

One would think you'd be able to find somewhere in this crazy house for a spot of privacy from the madness of her family and at midnight , but , oh no,not at the Burrow.

" I am going to bed now " announced Ginny, sending Harry an apologetic smile.

" We still haven't actually finished what we were talking about , Ginny "

" Yes, we have ," whispered Ginny," for tonight, anyway " She brushed past him to the next level of stairs that would take her to her bedroom and past Fleur and Bill.

She watched Harry shake his head, turn , and enter the room he shared with her brother .

The room was dark.

Harry glanced at his friends bed and noticed that it was empty. He had been expected to be greeted by the dulcet tones of Ron's snores but his friend was wide awake , staring out of the window, a serious expression etched across his face.

" Where have you been ?" asked Ron, not turning around .

" Uh, brushing my teeth," blurted out Harry," and talked to Ginny for a bit "

He couldn't broach the subject , if Ron didn't know there was one to talk about.

Might as well start small and go from there .

" Ron, " inquired Harry , knowing his friend was bothered by something ," what exactly are you doing ? "

" Guess Hermione actually meant it ," brought up Ron, glumly, " Hermione , I mean, and us not being friends. I talked to Dad earlier about it and he made a lot of sense but still I was hoping …its Christmas , Harry "

" You still have time to fix it with her " offered Harry, hopeful now that Ron had finally come around to realizing the truth. Now he was ready to actually listen.

" I sent her some Sugar Quills," admitted Ron," the deluxe kind that are her favorite . I figured I would at least get an owl from her ..thanking me "

" When did you send them to her ?' asked Harry, sitting down across from him.

" After I talked to Dad about the girl situation ," explained Ron," I bought them during our trip to HogsMeade . I just wasn't sure about sending them to her but I figured it would show her I still care about her …I care about Hermione "

" I don't know what your Dad told you but you hurt Hermione .," contributed Harry ," I mean, made her cry and everything kind of hurt, Ron. This stupid competition or whatever it is you guys have been doing is stupid ..and can I just say I don't understand it but I do know that Hermione has been completely honest with you on her feelings "

" Really messed with my head when I heard Hermione kissed Krum " said Ron

" That was ages ago ," picked up Harry," and things were sort of changing wit h you two before Lavender came into the picture. Even I saw that and you know how pathetic I am about romance …look mate, candy isn't going to repair all the damage.

You do know that, Ron. Right ?"

" I know ," replied Ron, morosely, " believe me, Harry, I understand . "

He paused , thoughtful," I really miss Hermione "

" Me too," agreed Harry , slapping his friend on the back," isn't the same without her "

" So, I've got to figure out how to chuck Lavender " declared Ron," you wouldn't have any pointers ? "

Harry stared at him." Don't look at me for help, Ron," said Harry ," Cho thought I was romantically interested in Hermione and got mad because I was always running off somewhere …we just fell apart. I think it was a mutual break up "

" Your right , Harry , that's no help at all. " agreed Ron with a laugh .

Harry couldn't help but smile in the dark .

All wasn't completely lost , after all. Now he just needed to find the right way to tell his best friend that he was crazy for Ginny and wanted to be with her.

Which might be easier if his best friends stopped fighting and admitted they were in love.

Ginny and Harry never got to continue their conversation before they were rushed aboard the Hogwarts Express and headed back towards school. She did reassure him that she fully intended to break things off with Dean as soon as they got back.

It didn't take long as she had no sooner arrived in the castle when her boyfriend pulled her into an empty classroom before she could even protest.

" Dean," exclaimed Ginny as he kissed her ," let go of me ! "

" Hey, I was trying to be spontaneous ," said Dean," Neville said you were unpacked and I didn't want to give everyone a show in the common for a change "

He paused ," I really missed you over the holiday "

" That is very nice , Dean , it is " started Ginny," and the earrings you sent were lovely "

" Glad you liked them," Dean took hold of her shoulder , possessively ," Gin, I am sorry that we quarreled on the train. I was a git and I had no right to treat you like I did …"

" So am I ," Gin took a deep breath and plunged into the deep end ," it was partially my fault, too. Dean, I think we should break up .."

There it was out in the open and she didn't mince words.

Dean recoiled as if she had slapped him in the face. " Wait a minute ," interrupted Dean ," I admitted I acted like a git before the break. I am sorry about that . I never realized how much danger you and your family really are in ..and I should have but I didn't. "

" I understand now why you were so upset with me and I cant blame you for that. It 's had to be hard on you and I haven't been helping you any…"

The classroom was empty ; normally , it would have been the perfect setting for romance. She might have been the one to suggest it . Only continuing her romance with Dean was the very last thing she wanted and this was making it much more difficult.

In truth, it had been over for a while now and she had known that, in her heart.

Ginny didn't want to hurt Dean but she couldn't find a way around it.

Ultimately , it was a break up and someone would be hurt .

" Yes, my family is being watched ," sighed Ginny, carefully, " and I do worry for them. Mum's as much a target as my Dad and my brothers but I cant think about that all of the time or I would be in a constant state of worry " She leaned against the desk and fought for her courage," we already had this conversation . "

" I really wasn't paying much attention," told Dean," I was pissed because you went to the Slug Club Christmas party without me "

" Dean, you know as well as I do, that this ..it hasn't been working with us ,lately.

I haven't been happy. I don't see how you could have been either "

" It's been rocky ," commented Dean," all couples go through spells "

She couldn't just pretend her feelings for Harry didn't exist anymore and she was done trying.

" It 's just crazy for us to draw this out any longer ," emphasized Ginny," we haven't had a speck of romance between us for weeks . Merlin, Dean, I don't even want to think of how many drunks you went on with Seamus and my brother while I went out flying on the pitch. If we were truly in love, don't you think a bout of snogging between us would have been more preferable ?"

" Okay, maybe we fizzled a bit but im willing to give us another go, Ginny " Dean leaned forward to kiss her but she turned away from him.

He just had to be sweet about the whole thing !

Why wasn't he screaming and yelling at her ?

" I'm not "

" You aren't, " Hurt was evident in his brown eyes . He had been ticked with her over the holidays but it had dissolved instantly when he saw her again," and we cant fix this if its just me wanting too "

He saw a moments hesitation in her big brown eyes then resolution.

" Right ," said Dean," how was your holiday then ?"

The question startled her and she couldn't help but to avert her eyes from him, wanting to hide the blush brought on by those wonderful still new holiday memories .

" It was good ," managed Ginny," but about us, Dean, it has to be over "

" Yeah, got that part ," Dean couldn't help but tug at his bruised ego,' suppose you spent Christmas with Harry, eh?"

He had to know, had to satisfy his curiosity, to know if it was true .

" With my family ," countered Ginny, hoping he wouldn't push ," you and the whole entire school are aware that Harry spends the holidays with us "

" The whole school didn't have a crush on him " pointed out Dean, flatly .

" Dammit, Dean, we just broke up! " shouted Ginny, her temper starting to flare," what good will it do you to provoke me into telling you something that you so obviously believe you know in the first place ? Yes, I had a crush on Harry since I was 9 years old .Is that what you need to hear ? He also did save my life from a basilisk, not to mention Voldermort . Of course , I had a crush on him.."

" I need to know the truth," stated Dean, especially if your breaking up with me so you

Can get together with Harry …."

" Why does it have to matter ? Can't we just be over ?"

" Done, finished ," Dean snapped angrily at her ," chucked and dumped .Got it ."

" Not because your in love with Harry Potter ?"

Ginny lowered her eyes and couldn't answer , not wanting to rub salt in his wounds .

" That's what I thought " replied Dean, stomping out of the classroom as Ginny sank onto a chair, relieved and bereft all at once.

Now what about Harry and herself ?

" Won Won, there you are ! " Lavender flung herself in his arms and greeted him with a kiss he tried to avoid ," I have missed you something fierce . My parents understood our situation and I am trying my best to be the prefect girlfriend for you "

Ron stepped back, removing her arms , and looked down at his shoes. Now would be as good time as any to try telling her how he felt …be a man about it .

" Lavender, about us, I've done some thinking …"

" Did you get my present ? Why aren't you wearing it, my sweetheart ? I just adore the lovely perfume you gave me…its so beautiful " gushed Lavender , noting that Hermione had came down the stairs and was looking in their direction .

" Yeah, I got it , thanks …" muttered Ron," and see, I still think the space thing is good. Helpful, you know, cause all we do is mainly snog….its not healthy "

" Won, Won," Lavender grew serious ," I have missed you and I too did much thinking about our relationship. It is important to me and you would have never asked for space from me if itwasnt for this secretive thing ..I mean, I understand your behavior is all about whatever grand scheme you are helping Harry with concerning you Know Who….and I think its exciting and so brave. I understand completely , Ron "

" It has nothing to do with Harry or You Know Who," insisted Ron," I am trying to tell you this thing with us , Lav, it's ..not really working "

" Don't be silly "lavender pressed a kiss against the side of his mouth," your just overwhelmed and not thinking properly . Oh and I adore the perfume so much ! "

Before Ron could protest that he wanted to end things with her, she was off , leaving him standing by the fireplace, perplexed .

What exactly had happened here ? Shouldn't she be put out since he said their relationship wasn't healthy ? Insulted even ?

Bloody hell , it had worked on the train when he had tested it out on Luna .

She had swore any girl who break up after that and Neville had been a good sport to let him test out his material on his girlfriend .

Why couldn't Lavender get that he didn't want to be with her anymore ?

Hermione bit her lower lip and tried not to let it bother her that Ron had given his girlfriend perfume. The year before she had been so touched by the thoughtfulness and the intimacy in receiving perfume from Ron and wore it every single day .

She had thought it something special but apparently it wasn't .

Ron turned and saw the brown hair, the soft brown eyes, and his heart beat erratically against his chest . " Hermione …"

Lifting her eyes from him and determined to keep her resolve this time round , Hermione nodded ." Ron "

" I thought ..maybe we could ..you know, talk " tried Ron, beseeching her with his eyes.

" I don't think that is necessary ," says Hermione ," but I've sent an owl to your mum thanking her for the lovely scarf she sent me …"

" Hey guys ," Harry joined them," this talking is good. Hermione , why don't you join me and Ron ..I want to tell you what found out about a vanishing cabinet "

" Vanishing cabinet " repeated Hermione , intrigued ," um, I want to hear more about it, Harry, I do but I cant. Not right now..I need to send an owl to…my parents "

Harry grimaced, shot Ron an urgent look, and pulled Hermione into a corner .

" Hasn't this stupid war between you two gone on long enough, Hermione ? Will it hurt you so much just to talk to Ron ? "

" I suppose it has been a while," admitted Hermione ," and yes, im afraid it will hurt but I can and will be civil with him. I'm done being immature and mean and insanely stupid….I just don't want to start talking to him right this minute "

" He wants to talk to you " swore an impatient Harry ," come on, Hermione , give Ron a chance…trust me "

" I do trust you, Harry ," says Hermione," I just need to do this my own way to be able to finally accept this. You can understand that ..cant you? Given the circumstances with Ginny…I want to hear about the cabinet in abit. How about we meet on the bridge in an hour and you can tell me all about it "

With that, Hermione exited the common room, leaving a frustrated Ron and Harry .

" Well, that went splendid " said Harry ," maybe you should have sent her something ..I don't know..romantic "

" She didn't even thank me for the bloody candy ," grumbled Ron, agitated ,' Hermione is barking mad. To top it all off, apparently Luna was wrong because Lavender didn't get that I was trying to chuck her ! "

Harry's smile was wan. " Keep trying "

" Thanks a lot, Harry ," Ron plopped down on the couch," girls ! Bloody menace they are ! I've got to be mad to want to do this …shouldn't have even started with Lav .."

" But you did and now you've got to end it " stated Harry ," you can do it "

" Oh my God," Parvarti burst into the room," Dean and Ginny just broke up ! Not even back an hour and she dumped him …I just cannot believe it ! '

Light and hope sprang within Harry ." They broke up "

" Ginny dumped him is what I heard " added an eager Parvarti," Dean is just furious"

" Good for her ," said Ron, watching Harry who seemed happy about this news ," Dean's too slick for my sister . She needs someone ..much better , I think "

Harry nodded , searching for Ginny as if this was a sign of some sorts .

Ginny had really broke up with Dean but what did that mean for them ?

Could they really be together now or was it too soon ?


	16. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I still don't own Harry Potter, I am just playing around in JK's world.

Dean and Ginny had broken up.

The news of the break up drifted through the halls and the common rooms on the wind and in no time had reached the ears of Ron and a relieved Harry .

Dean had been a bear when asked about it and kept shooting Harry filthy looks, making the Chosen One a bit uncomfortable .

Harry wondered briefly if Ginny had mentioned their encounters together to him then dismissed it. That didn't seem like something that she would do.

He glanced down at the Marauders map and noted that Ginny was with Hermione and Luna - he imagined the girls were consoling her .

Though she hadn't looked upset when she had marched into the common after the break up..and her eyes didn't look like she had been crying either.

Hope broke out of its cage and soared within Harry's heart .

He could be with Ginny now .

If she felt the same way that he did and Harry was pretty confident that she did .

If only he could decide how a bloke went about making romance happen -preferably in some grand, wildly romantic gesture !

Not that he was quite sure what would impress Ginny, in the first place.

Maybe he could start by talking it through with Ron.

They were both in the common room, attempting to write their essays for Snape though neither one of them were making much progress without Hermione's help.

" Ginny seems to be taking the break up well " broached Harry , carefully.

They were fortunate that Lavender wasn't invading their space and Ron had commented that he was still working on another way to end things with her .

Ron , who had been trying to casually glance around the portrait hole, hoping to catch a glimpse of Hermione , turned and met his friends uncomfortable gaze.

" Yeah," Ron shot him a querulous look," its probably for the best. Ginny can do better than a slick git like Dean….I reckon "

" I suspect that there must be some sort of mourning period ," mumbled Harry ," between boyfriends . Wouldn't you say ? Some brief missing time …I mean, wouldn't be right or proper if she started dating someone else when its only been 3 days now "

Ron fixed him with a dubious stare.

" I don't know ," hedged Ron , knowing they were treading on a slippery slope of important matters they never really talked about ," I mean if it were the right bloke then I suppose the time wouldn't matter all that much . "

Were they discussing him and Hermione or Harry and Ginny ?

" So, you wouldn't think poorly ," struggled Harry, pushing forward ," if someone …if someone were to ask Ginny out in the near future ?"

" Well, it would depend on who the bloke was ," answered Ron, honestly," not that Ginny would go for just any bloke in the first place …"

He wasn't as blind as people tended to think and he had watched Harry with Ginny lately and something had changed there . Harry never used to stare at Ginny like he did now and Ron figured his best mate had feelings for his little sister.

It was sort of strange and Ron wasn't quite sure how he felt about it yet .

Course Harry was his best friend and naturally , about the best man around if it would ever come around to Ron having to pick a man for his sister to be with .

" Reckon he would have to treat her good ," went on Ron in what he hoped passed as approval," I mean , he would have to go into the whole dating thing knowing how hard headed Ginny is and still fancy being with her "

" Naturally ," agreed Harry, evenly," because Ginny should be treated special "

" So how did you get Lavender to leave you alone tonight if you didn't chuck her ?"

" She thinks I am stressed because I am helping you with some secret You Know Who thing so she is trying to be a perfect girlfriend " explained Ron ," and I keep telling her I need a lot of space .Space is suppose to work …I owled Charlie about it and he said he's chucked lots of girls that way but obviously Lavender is a bit daft or something "

He let out a painful sigh," She's talking bout how she wants a sweetheart ring for our sixth month anniversary. Harry, I don't want us to be an us and have any kind of anniversaries ! I don't want to be with her any more "

" Tell her all of that " offered Harry ," pretty sure Lavender would hate your guts "

" I tried, Harry ," replied Ron ," every time I start, Lav goes all clingy and starts kissing me and then I feel like a coward ..its not as easy as it seems "

He slid a wry glance at his best mate " If Lavender thought I were with Hermione …."

" If you were with Hermione ," warned Harry ," you'd better be with her because you want to be and not just to get rid of your girlfriend, Ron "

Ron lowered his eyes , wracked with his own guilt and remorse ." I mucked up "

" We established that at Christmas ," grinned Harry ," and I 'm sorry, Ron, but I cant see Hermione getting cozy with you if your still going out with Lavender . I don't think she'll just instantly forgive you either …..have you tried to talk to her anymore ?"

" You know I tried in Advanced Herb logy , Harry, but she was being too bloody busy to answer me " remarked Ron," McLaggen was staring at her . Filthy arse ! "

" Hermione isn't interested in McLaggen " stated Harry ," trust me about this "

" The creep wants her though, Harry ," replied a jealous Ron," I've seen the way the bastard looks at her ! I've heard him talking about Mione ..bit worried about her "

" Hermione can take care of herself " assured Harry, confidently .

" No she cant ," argued Ron, matter of factly," anything else, sure, Hermione can handle anything . She's the brilliant one but I don't trust the bastard to try something with her …"

" I think your overreacting but that might be a nice opening for you to bring up with her " replied Harry, flashing him a grin," that's bound to set her off "

" Anything I say to Mione will set her off …the girl is mental " sighed Ron, missing her .

" You two are made for each other then " joked Harry , glancing once more at the map and noting that Dumbledore was still gone traveling and Malfoy hadn't moved from the Slytherin common in the last two hours .

Damn! He really wasn't making all that much progress on either fronts .

" Its been 3 days ," declared Ginny ," Besides passing me the cereal and telling me not to hit my brother on the pitch, Harry hasn't done one thing since I broke up with Dean.

I'm not blind nor did I dream about what happened during the holiday so I know he wants to be with me too …"

" I think Harry must be a bit shy about asking you out , Ginny," deduced Luna ," his aura is all happy around you so I wouldn't worry much about that. Neville was very bashful when he first asked me out and it took him nearly weeks for him to kiss me..I didn't want to frighten him else I would have kissed him first "

" I have known Harry since I was little ," assured Ginny, " he isn't shy in the least "

" Harry can be thick at times, Gin," contributed Hermione ," not to mention that he has been obsessing over that Potions book...he's distracted, I think "

" I know all of that, Hermione ," decided Ginny," and I would have no problem telling him how I feel except I sort of did that already . Is it wrong for me to want Harry to make the next move ? "

" No " chorused Luna and Hermione in unison .

Ginny leaned against the side of the bridge and glanced at her two dear friends

.

" The holiday was so wonderful ," admitted Ginny," and even though Harry and I weren't actually together, I felt like we sort of were and I just want him to come to me "

She blew out a ragged breath." Ginny, I want to be with you "

" I could suggest that to him," said Luna ," Harry listens to me like a real friend does and everything. I still think he needs a helpful nudge , like my Neville "

" I told Neville that he ought to ask you out after the Battle of the Ministry "said Ginny, who had been instrumental in helping Luna and Neville get together .

" Exactly ," stated Luna , serenely ," I think Harry is not merely shy but helpless around girls. I have heard Cho talk about when she dated Harry last year that he got distracted very much and wasn't much on snogging ..but then nice as Cho is , the girl is still a bit silly so I don't know if we should consider that or not "

Hermione scoffed ," Ridiculous is more like it , Luna . Harry and I are practically brother and sister …she thought it was all romantic between us "

She made a disgusted noise ," Isn't that totally insane ?"

Ginny smoothed her lip and dared a rueful look at her friend .

" It isn't so crazy, Hermione ," admitted Ginny," I mean, I've never told you this before but before we became best of friends I had worried if you were interested in Harry "

" Ginny! How could you think that ? There might have been a moment or two where I wondered but ..it's always been Ron " declared Hermione , reaching over to squeeze her friends hand ," you never had anything to worry about at all "

" I came to that conclusion easily enough on my own about you and Ron "

" Well all of your auras are a complete mess ," contributed Luna ," I thought it was terrible mid -term but I was wrong . Harry's are worse than the lot of yours and I honestly do not understand how hard it is for all of you to just talk with one another and be with the person you love. "

A dreamy smile flinted across her lips." It was quite the most lovely splendid moment of my life when I told Neville that I loved him and just as wonderful when he reciprocated back. I feel very happy about us and wish you all would get it together "

Ginny and Hermione exchanged smiles .

" Things have never been easy with me and Ron ," says Hermione ," I doubt very much that they ever will be . On the bright side , I have actually accepted that Ron is in love with Lavender and I am going to be mature and end these stupid games "

" So you are going to talk to my stupid turnip brains of a brother ?" asked Ginny

" I can be civil ," says Hermione ," I don't have to like that ..daft dimbo he is dating ..but I wont be rude any longer . If he speaks , I will be polite and answer "

" That cant be any fun….." said Luna, breezily.

" I might even consider dating other blokes …" suggested Hermione , warily ," I mean, I really aren't interested in any other ..but a date or two couldn't help the process of getting over this ..over Ron "

" That really doesn't work ," told Ginny," and I was sincere when I dated Dean "

" I don't believe either of you are in your right mind ," declared Luna ," if I didn't know you both so well I would think you had nipped into some love potion gone awry "

Ginny rested her arms against the banister and heaved a sigh." I love the fact that Harry is noble ," admitted Gin," I find it quite attractive . I just wish he wouldn't be so damn noble and kiss me instead ! "

"What are you going to do ?" inquired Hermione , softly.

" Haven't a foggy idea at all," admitted Ginny," argh ! I am just so frustrated right now !"

" Oh the woes of Ginny Weasley …" taunted Pansy Parkinson , Draco Malfoy's girlfriend and the resident bitch of Slytherin . She sneered at the three girls as she passed them.

" Bet Malfoy would love to know his girlfriend is shagging Zabini behind his back," Ginny found herself calling after her ," or have you moved onto Crabbe and Goyle this month ? Slytherin slut ….."

" Ginny ! Don't ! " hissed Hermione , not wanting to be in the middle of the fight .

As a prefect, it was part of her job to prevent incidents like this rivalry .

Pansy raised a dark brow and called over her shoulder ," The Weasley hoe would know ….your just dying to get into the Chosen Ones trousers "

Rage filled Ginny as she lifted her wand and if Hermione hadn't stepped in front of her , she would have hexed the Slytherin into the woods .

" I am not that kind of girl ," huffed Ginny, angrily ," Mum would disown me "

" Ignore her ," stated Hermione ," it is girls like her and Lavender Brown that give the rest of us ..well, a bad name . Even if what you were saying was true, Gin, you shouldn't have sunk to Pansy Parkinson's level ….."

" Hermione is quite right ," agreed Luna ," its nothing but gossips and lies. "

" Well, that killed the rest of my mood ," decided Ginny," I think I'm going to take a walk up to the Astronomy Tower before I infect the rest of you too "

" You don't have any Wrack spurts at all, Ginny ," told Luna , matter of fact," though Harry actually has more than I have ever seen…his head is full of them "

" That would explain a lot , Luna " said Ginny, waving at them and heading in the direction of the Astronomy Tower and hopefully away from her dismal thoughts.

It would appear she was going through bits of Break Up Depression, after all.

" Quite pathetic, Ginerva "

Dean had seemed to have gotten over his anger and she had been told by several of her friends that he was busy flirting already with Padma Patil .

Good for him. He hadn't wasted much time ….she just really needed reassurance from one Harry Potter than what was happening between them was real.

She had fantasized for too long and now she was skittish.

Maybe Luna hadn't been completely off base where Harry was concerned .

She trudged up the stairs to the tower, stopping mid way as Harry came into view.

He lifted his gaze and a slow smile crossed his mouth, warming her insides .

" Harry "

" Ginny "

" I hadn't expected to find you up here ," told Ginny ," not your usual haunt "

He cracked a sheepish grin," Had a meeting with Dumbledore earlier and just came up here after ..quiet place to think "

" Quieter than the library " managed Ginny, tersely .

" So, how have you been ," purged on an eager Harry ," I mean, about the break up ? Must have been upsetting for you…you and Dean were together awhile "

Ginny moved up a step, putting her closer to him." I am fine , Harry ," Ginny's voice rose a notch ," just great even seeing as Dean and I haven't been technically happy for oh the past month anyway. I am fine …perfect …not sad at all "

" Oh I see….." paused Harry ," I wasn't actually sure about that "

" Anything else you would care to ask me, Harry ? "

" You seem kind of angry …at me, Ginny " muttered Harry, stepping down so that they were eye to eye ," did I do or say something to offend you ? "

" I'm not angry ..frustrated yes " declared Ginny, meeting his gaze," very much so "

" Oh, because I still want to be ..with you," admitted Harry ," I just wanted to give you time …recover from the break up and everything, Ginny "

" I don't need time " Ginny wrapped her arms around his neck and brought her lips down on his, kissing him with fervor and emotion as the room spun around them .

Harry enclosed her in his arms and gave into the influx of feelings for her that had been dancing a congo in his being since the beginning of summer as he took the kiss deeper .

" Ginny …"

A slow, sexy smile moved across her lips. " Can we be together now, Harry ?"

" It's what I have been wanting , Gin ," Harry brushed at her red hair, tenderly ," I just wasn't sure …I didn't want your reputation to be ..er, scarred or anything if I told you I wanted to go to you the day you ended things with Dean …"

Ginny laughed and kissed him, lightly." I wouldn't have minded in the least though Dean might have been pissed about it ..probably still will be "

" I can handle Dean and your brother " admitted Harry , feeling happy and lighter than he had in the longest time ," I think Ron is going to be okay with you and me "

Ginny kissed his chin." Good but I don't want to talk about my brother , Harry "

A mischievous glint appeared in her toffee colored eyes " Why don't we go back up to the Astronomy Tower for a bit of snogging that we didn't get to do at the Burrow "

Harry took her hand into his and grinning like a love-sick fool, followed her .

Hermione was quiet as she stepped into the Gryffindor common room, noting that it was empty though a cozy fire was burning in the hearth. She scanned the room , her eyes darting to the armchair where Lavender and Ron were normally snogging and found it to be empty . It was curious but at the same time , a relief not to see them.

Perhaps it was time for another round of reading Hogwarts ;A history .

She knew it by heart and the passages always gave her a measure of comfort and distraction which is what she needed .

Luna's words played a steady litany in her head, bothering her .

Just because Luna and Neville were blissfully in love didn't mean that true love was in the cards for her . Her friend was being more romantic than practical.

Hermione was done with her own head being in the clouds and now it was time for practicality. That would help Harry which was much more important in the scheme of life and things than her broken heart was.

This is what she would focus on and no more wishful thinking or silly games .

Lost in her contemplations, Hermione had missed seeing Ron who had been sitting on the floor staring at the flames as if they had all of the answers to the world .

He stood and took in her beautiful skin in the firelight and the thoughtful expression on her face and his heart tumbled into his chest .

" Hermione "

Startled, Hermione pressed her lips together in a line and nodded at him.

" Ron,' stumbled Hermione, coolly, " I…I didn't recognize you without your lips being attached to your girlfriend "

She let out a nervous laugh," Where is Harry ?"

" Another meeting with Dumbledore …," answered Ron, moving towards her ," I .though maybe you and I could ..talk, Mione "

" I'm tired ," lied Hermione , knowing her defenses were down ," I would really rather not talk …goodnight, Ron "

" Please, Hermione , we haven't talked since I started with Lav "

Hermione's face fell at the reminder of his girlfriend . " I am ..it's fine that you are happy with ..her, Ron, but save it for Harry. I realize you haven't grown much past the emotional range of a teaspoon still but I really have no desire to hear about your love life "

With that, Hermione sent him one last fleeting look and started for the stairs , sad.

She barely registered Ron's words ," I miss you "

Hermione gave him one last look, determined to ignore the confusion that spread across his handsome face.

" I miss you too "

Neither of them were aware that Lavender stood still against the wall, having caught the exchange and her entire body trembled with rage and jealousy .


	17. Chapter 18

Disclaimer : I still don't own Harry Potter I am merely playing around in the Wizarding world.

Harry Potter was happy.

Nearly ecstatic this morning and nearly wanting to shout to his dorm mates that he was with Ginny. The only thing that stopped him was the fact that Dean still really wasn't talking to him without sending him filthy looks and he hadn't actually told Ron yet .

He was going to meet Ginny in the common before they went downstairs for breakfast but he felt strongly about telling Ron about this first .

" I swear Parvarti is meaner than a wet hen this time of the month," said Seamus, " if I wasn't mad about her, I'd be sure to toss her for sure "

" You wouldn't do it, Finnegan ," snapped Dean," she'd kill you first "

" I don't think its right to be talking about your girlfriend like that ," brought up Neville, as he finished making his bed ," would hurt Parvarti's feelings if she heard you "

" Obviously Luna wears the pants in your relationship " commented an amused Ron .

Neville made a face ." I wouldn't say anything to hurt Luna's feelings "

" That's why Neville is the one in a relationship and not you blokes " teased Harry , feeling incredibly light along with his happiness ," I think its grand "

Ron frowned and looked strangely at his best mate ." You alright this morning, Harry ?"

" Couldn't be better " answered Harry, grinning from ear to ear ," though actually, Ron, there is something I need to talk to you about "

Seamus rolled his eyes and threw on his sweatshirt ." Come on, lets go "

" Yeah, I could do without any more proclamations from The Chosen One " told Dean

Neville sent Harry an apologetic look and followed the two downstairs leaving Ron and Harry some privacy .

Ron grew serious ." Hermione actually misses me "

" What ? How do you know ? I thought she was still ignoring you even after you talked "

" Last night ," admitted Ron , quietly ," I tried talking to her again but she didn't much want to talk . I think Hermione was really tired but I did tell her I missed her ….and I heard her, Harry, she misses me back. So I still have a shot with Mione "

Harry slapped Ron on the back." That's great, Ron, I'm glad to hear it . "

" I've made up my mind , Harry," said a determined Ron," I am gonna have another serious talk with Lavender and try to chuck her ..nicely, of course "

" Maybe you shouldn't be so nice this time " offered Harry .

" I don't want her to hate me or anything , Harry ,' explained Ron ," but I just don't want to be with her anymore. I also really don't want to make her cry ..I hate making girls cry "

" They are emotional " agreed Harry ," I'm just happy Hermione is speaking to you . "

" Me too," replied Ron," so, what is it you wanted to talk about ? Did you find out anything more from Slughorn about the memory ?"

" No," confessed Harry, an edge in his voice," other than making Slughorn perturbed "

" We'll think of another way " Ron was full of encouragement .

He was excited about the prospect of trying to spend more time with Hermione also.

He had taken it as a sign last night that she was tired of this stupid war , too.

Harry took a breath. " You know how we talked..I mean, we sort of talked about your feelings for Hermione ," started off Harry," and other things …."

" yeah," acknowledged Ron," bit awkward at first but shouldn't be. I mean, we're practically brothers and it's not like it was such a big secret ..okay, its not like I've had romantic feelings for Hermione for years ..I'll shut up now "

Harry laughed , nervously. " I have feelings for Ginny "

" Ginny," repeated Ron, taken back ," my sister ?"

" Do I know any other Ginny's ? Yes, your sister ," answered Harry ," and we're together now . I don't want you murdering me, Ron, but I care about her "

Ron heaved a sigh," You and my sister ? I had a feeling about that "

" You did ?"

" Yeah ," answered Ron," you've been acting weird around Gin lately . The whole thing is weird but if my sis makes you happy then I cant be pissed for that "

A wide grin split across his face ." Just being in the same room with Ginny makes me happy "

" I just don't fancy watching you put your hands all over my sister " told Ron

' Git "

" She is still my baby sister " said Ron ," cant guarantee the twins wont kill you "

They shared a laugh and headed downstairs to the common room which was unusually full for 8; 30 in the morning . Parvarti and Seamus were snogging on the sofa, Dean was writing out an owl, Neville was talking to Hermione and Lavender was rifling through the latest copy of Witches Weekly .

" Good morning, Harry " greeted Hermione , smiling warmly at him.

" Hey "said Harry before a blur of red hair ran into his arms, engulfing him in her sweet scent of sweet peas and a kiss that went on and on . He put his arms around her and responded in kind, answering her kisses with his own fervor .

" Ginny ! "

" Luna was right " Neville couldn't resist informing the others .

" Lying witch ," Dean stormed out of the common," I knew it was about Potter "

" Bloody hell, Thomas, that's my sister your calling names ," Ron tensed ," I'd stop right there unless you want to fight me "

" Ron ," warned Hermione , softly," he's just hurting "

" It isn't a bloody reason to be calling my sister names like that …" said Ron

" Go to hell , Weasley ! " shot back Dean, disappearing through the portrait hole.

" No wonder Harry was so raving happy this morning ," commented Seamus ," he has been snogging Ginny Weasley all of this time "

" There wasn't any cheating, of any sorts going on," informed Hermione , primly ," neither Harry nor Ginny would do such a thing "

Parvarti was smug ." I knew Ginny had a thing for Harry …it was all over her face . Come on, Seamus, I cannot wait to tell everyone about this "

" Yeah, I reckon its big news ," told Seamus ," besides I should probably hunt down Dean. Looks like I see another drunk coming on after this ….fire whiskey might cut it "

Hermione pretended not to hear them . " I am sure everyone will see that Harry and Ginny are together soon enough, Parvarti, without you spreading the word "

" Hogwarts needs to know these juicy tidbits, Hermione " told the twin .

She grabbed seamus's hand and they left the common as Harry and Ginny came up for air .

They both wore a contented look on their faces . " Good morning , Harry "

Harry slipped his hand into hers and noticed the freckles across the bridge of her nose.

" It is a very good morning, Ginny " agreed Harry, ignoring the knowing grin that Hermione and Neville were sending him.

" I have wanted to kiss you like that for a long time ," confessed Ginny," I thought it was a lot nicer way of saying good morning . Not to mention to let everyone know that we are together, Harry "

" Me too " grinned Harry ," so, we'll just ignore the rumors about us now "

" Rumors are rumors, Harry ," Ginny was non-plussed ," if they get o be too much trouble I will spread one of my own if I have to saying we've been having an illicit love affair "

Harry chuckled and pulled her close ," I told Ron "

" Keep the snogging down when I'm in the room ," remarked Ron ," I don't wan to have bloody nightmares about the two of you "

" I think it is very romantic " muttered Hermione , noticing the strong planes and angles of Ron's face this morning . A hitch caught in her throat and she turned away .

She was simply not going to entertain those kind of thoughts about him anymore .

" Hermione …." started Ron ," I thought we could ..talk ..before breakfast "

" Won Won," Lavender put herself between them ," I have tried giving you space but now I simply cannot do it . I miss you and am terribly afraid that our love will suffer if we spend anymore time apart than we can….and I love you so "

Hermione bit her lip and turned away." I am going to breakfast "

" Hermione , wait " called Ron but to his dismay, she never looked back and left .

Lavender clutched at Ron's shirt and a hint of desperation in her voice ." I am terribly worried of these secret meetings and plots you and Harry have ..why I wouldn't be able to go on without you ! "

She willed her eyes to glisten with tears which he noticed . " I love you "

" Erm, Lavender ," Ron grasped her shoulder s," you shouldn't be worrying over me . Really, I'm fine and you should be able to take care of yourself ….."

" You wouldn't protect me , Won Won ? The love of your life ?" asked Lavender

A vision of thick brown curls and sharp tongue filled his mind and Ron knew he would go to great lengths to protect Hermione .

How could he not ? He loved her .

" Pleasse , don't cry , Lav ," said Ron, at a loss of what to say ," you know wouldn't want anything to hurt you but your …really suffocating me "

Her eyes turned to cold ." Suffocating you ? How am I doing that ? If I recall, you haven't had any problem being with me until Granger started speaking to you again "

" We don't talk " said Ron," not much . Didn't we go over this before I left for the holiday ? Things just aren't right between us….."

Lavender pressed her chest into his , slid her arms around him, and before he could respond, kissed him, expertly . " That felt …right to me "

With that, Lavender picked up her lavender colored purse and headed outside .

" Don't say it " warned Ron, wiping the lipstick off of his mouth with his sleeve.

" Kissing Lavender isn't breaking up with her " commented Neville , first .

" Thanks, Neville ," grinned Harry ," couldn't agree more with you "

" Sod off, you two," growled Ron ," she wont get the picture "

" It's not hard, Ron ," informed Ginny ," don't give her time to turn on the waterworks. That was a damn act if I ever saw one ..girls like her are all about that . Tell the bimbo you are breaking up with her and that is that …"

" I'm not heartless, Gin ," stated Ron," I do care a bit for the girl...wouldn't have been with her for this long is I hadn't . She'll be put out …."

" Lavender will get over it with the first bloke who wants to shag her " predicted Ginny

" Ginny ! " this came from a shocked Harry ," I cant believe you said that "

" It's the truth and you all know its so ," replied Ginny ," going round in circles with Lavender isn't going to help you, brother dear. " She paused ," Despite whatever lame advice Charlie gave you, he dates the wrong kinds of women , too . '

" I don't need dating advice from my baby sister " tossed back Ron," and I will chuck Lavender my way . Now if you will excuse me ,I want to find Hermione "

He considered the Great Hall for breakfast since he was starving but he really wanted to talk with Hermione . He had a feeling he would find her in the library .

Waving at his friends , he headed towards the library and the girl he wanted .

" I am going to go find Luna " declared Neville ," see you guys later "

Ginny waited until he cleared the common room before pulling Harry to the sofa and pulling his lips down to hers for another lingering kiss .

" Didn't think they would ever leave us alone …" grumbled Ginny , tracing the shell of his ear with her fingernail," don't mind snogging in public especially when it annoys my brother but the privacy is much better "

" Ron wasn't angry with us " told Harry , reaching out to examine a strand of her silky red hair ," or about us . Guess I might have overeacted a bit about that…"

" Harry Potter overreact ," teased Ginny ," no! Who would have imagined the Chosen One overreacting over something incredibly silly ?"

Harry grinned and felt he was being foolish. He didn't care ." Tosser "

" That's one I hadn't heard before .." Ginny smiled into his eyes," and here folks seem to think your some sort of charming rake, Harry "

" You make me laugh, Gin," admitted Harry, taking her hand ," you understand me and you still know just what to say to make me forget everything for a while and laugh "

" Well, I have fancied you since I was about 9 " commented Ginny

" I wish I had noticed you sooner , Ginny " expressed Harry, kissing her again ," and I have been going insane wanting you since the beginning of term "

" You have me now , Harry " Ginny kissed him, lovingly .

Hermione reread the translation for the fifth time and couldn't understand a word of it.

It wasn't so much that she didn't understand it but her mind was elsewhere . She was incredibly thrilled and overjoyed that Ginny and Harry were together and a bit sad because she would never have that .

Despite her bravado, it was a constant ache in her chest to watch Ron with Lavender .

How on earth was she able to have a conversation with him like normal without envisioning all of the .private intimacies Ron had shared with lavender ?

Her mind had enough horrible thoughts as it was , despite her new tact .

" You really shouldn't skip breakfast, Hermione " spoke up Ron, joining her .

She closed the book and met his gaze. " You really shouldn't be here , Ron," Hermione tried to keep the conversation normal ," especially when your girlfriend is upset "

" Lavender is overly dramatic " muttered Ron ," I told her I needed space "

Hermione licked her lips, nervously ." That is none of my business ," says Hermione ," isn't it wonderful about Harry and Ginny ?"

" It's different ," told Ron ," look, Mione, can we go back to the way it used to be ?"

" We can be friends, Ronald ," murmured Hermione ," but I don't think things will ever be like it was before . Too much has happened for that ….but I will respect that your in a relationship now . A serious one and do my best to be polite ..just I ..you can talk to Harry regarding it as Lavender and I don't really get along "

Ron leaned in and placed in hand over hers causing heat to rise between them.

" I wanted to discuss ..us , Hermione . Me and you "

" Like you said earlier , there isn't an us , " declared Hermione , doing her best to follow through ," you never promised me anything more than our friendship. I..I clearly misinterpreted things ..over the summer and that ..I'm sorry for , Ronald "

He stroked her hand, tenderly. " No, Hermione , you didn't misinterpret anything "

" Let go of my hand, please ," says Hermione in a strained voice," I am sorry if you are having troubles figuring out your relationship with your girlfriend but I will not be used in the meanwhile. " She jerked her hand away, caught the brief flash of annoyance and hurt in his blue eyes, slammed her book closed and stood ," Oh, and it would do you good to take that smug ego down a bit too. No one likes a prat ! "

Tossing her curls indignantly , Hermione stormed past him and out of the library.

Ron didn't ever think she had been more sexier than she was when she was annoyed at him. Her brown eyes would flash and her chin would jut just so and it was ..a turn on.

Except that she got it into her head that what happened over the summer hadn't meant anything ..which was as far off wrong as that went .

His fault , again for not making it clear to her and now Mione didn't believe him.

He was contemplating his next course of action when he heard voices around the corner of the bookcase and realized that Hermione hadn't gotten out of the library.

" Granger ," Cormac McLaggen blocked her path with a slick smile on his face ," you are a difficult girl to find . I caught from the Lovegood girl that I might find you here "

Hermione managed a weak half smile. " So you found me , Cormac "

" I thought we might continue where we left off, Hermione ," Cormac moved in closer to her and she took a step back," since there wasn't much for privacy at the Christmas party. Maybe you and I could continue …I know a lovely spot where we could get to know each other ..more personally "

Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat and resisted the urge to shudder .

" Cormac, " mustered Hermione, calling upon her Gryffindor courage ," I am sorry if I …if I never made myself clear but I really have no intrest in dating you ."

Cormac stared at her as the words registered . She was turning him down ?

Girls never turned him down …let alone a prudish bookworm …she was obviously playing hard to get . He was up for the challenge .

Cormac lifted a hand and cupped her cheek." Sexy minx I like your fire "

Hermione stepped back and this time did shudder ," I meant what I said , Cormac"

Then Hermione fled the library as fast as she could unaware that Cormac was watching her through a haze of lust filled eyes or that Ron clenched his fist, angrily .

" I bet that one isn't uptight underneath that jumper , eh, Weasley ?"

Ron saw red . " Hermione isn't that kind of girl, McLaggen ," warned Ron ," you'd best keep your hands off of her '

" You shagging Granger too ? I would have figured you would have your hands full keeping up with Lavender ….she's a hot one that witch "

" Don't talk about Hermione like that or you will regret it " stated Ron, seriously .

Cormac chuckled , amused ." I am not afraid of a joke like you, Weasley "

" You heard what I said …stay away from Hermione " warned Ron , " she isn't interested in you . You heard her ..you should respect her "

' I heard a challenge " said a smug cormac , striding out of the library.

" Bloody hell ! "

" So Harry Potter stole Ginny right out from Dean ," exclaimed Lavender in great detail ," why they haven't even been split up barely a full week. Isn't it scandalous ? I never would have imagined this…and with my future sister in law "

" I dated Harry last year ," spoke up Cho Chang , who had overheard the gossip as she was en route to the table ," I hardly doubt it was anything that scandalous . "

" You weren't there ," told lavender ," I tell you, he is the reason that Ginny dumped poor Dean in the first place . I know she and I are nearly family but she is a bit ..flighty "

Luna scoffed ," You don't know what you are talking about, Lavender . "

Lavender ignored her," I don't know why you think you can join in , Luna ," told lavender ," this was a private conversation . I understand that my Won Won has a slight affection for you but I think you are clearly teched in the head "

" Your very mean ," stated Luna, simply ," Ron was distracted by your prettiness but he isn't anymore . His heart has never belonged to you "

" nonsense " dismissed lavender , tossing her blonde hair," you know nothing "

" She knows more than you ," contributed Neville , running down to find his girlfriend exchanging barbs with lavender ," and don't speak to Luna like that ."

Lavender rolled her eyes ," This is girls business, Long bottom , so mind yours "

" Lavender ! " admonished Parvarti , giving her friend a little shake ," be nice "

" I suppose I should for my Won Won's sake ," sighed the blonde , painfully ," he hasn't a clue the sacrifices that I make for our relationship "

Neville leaned over to press a light kiss on Luna's mouth. " Sorry I'm late "

Luna took his hand and traced a line across it. " I heard about Harry and Ginny ," smiled a pleased Luna, in a knowing tone ," it took them long enough to figure it out . It is wonderful news and I am quite happy for them "

" So am I ," Neville rested his head against hers ," they looked pretty happy when I left the common room. " he couldn't help but chuckle " I don't expect them to make it to breakfast ..they seemed pretty caught up "

" In the snogging , I imagine so " Luna kissed his chin," and I think it's a splendid way to start the morning . I think I would fancy some alone time with you myself, Neville "

" What about class ?" asked Neville , sitting his glass of pumpkin juice down with a splash on the table . He loved her spontaneity .

" I think the Transfiguration courtyard is quite empty this early and private ' said Luna

" Let's go, Lun " taking her hand, Neville practically dragged Luna from the hall.

They passed Ron on the way and listening to their happy laughter , he was even more determined to prove his love to the most stubborn witch on the planet .


	18. Chapter 19

Disclaimer : I don't own Harry Potter . I am just playing along in her world .

Harry and Ginny sat on the couch , his arms wrapped around her , and in a happy state of bliss as she recounted how her day of classes had consisted mostly of homework with Snape and the rumor mill. She traced a pattern across his knee and shook her head.

" Honestly, you would think you were some world famous Quidditch player, Harry ," declared Ginny," just because we're going out now, you have suddenly became some bloody rake and I have been after you all along . It's nonsense "

He grinned and stroked her red tresses." I am the Chosen One "

Ginny rolled her eyes " Your just Harry to me " She turned in his arms , kissing him fervently and they lost themselves in the kiss and each other .

" Only to you ," answered Harry, after they broke the kiss ," and that means everything to me, Gin. You don't care if I'm the Boy Who Lived or the Chosen One , sometimes I think that is all I am and I get so damn tired of having to be that bloke "

" Cho was quite nice about us ," Ginny confided in him," especially considering she doesn't know how many times I wanted to hex her when you two went out "

Harry turned to look at her , incredulously." You didn't ?"

" I used restraint ," grinned Ginny," and Hermione helped a good deal. I am surprised you couldn't tell how jealous I was at the time especially during the D.A. classes "

" I had no clue ," admitted Harry ,' weren't you with Michael Corner though ?"

" Michael and I were hardly serious ," scoffed Ginny , holding onto his hand," the barmy ass wanted into my pants and that wasn't happening . Didn't mean that I couldn't still be jealous cause you were falling all over Cho Chang …."

Harry laughed and drew her in for another long kiss ." I really love hearing this "

" Well, don't get a big head ," told Ginny," I just thought ..you should know how I felt. I mean even when I had a silly crush on you, I knew you didn't see me that way "

" This summer ," replied Harry , " something changed after what happened at the Ministry.. The summer I spent with you , Ron, and Hermione at the Burrow. I think I must have started caring more and differently about you….I noticed things about you I never really had paid much attention too before "

" Well, you hid it well, Harry potter ," told Ginny," I thought I was imagining things "

" You weren't ," Harry wrapped his arms around her ," and your perfume drove me mad "

A very female smile played across her lips." That is good to know "

" Do you two have to be ..like that in bloody public " grumbled Ron as he joined his best mate and his sister in the common room.," it's a bit strange "

" No, we wont so you might as well get used to it, brother dear " retorted Ginny

Ron flung himself onto the armchair ." Well I went for a nice ride , you know, to clear my mind and I was hoping maybe it would help me figure out the better way to get rid of Lavender . I make Hermione go mental…why cant Lav get a clue that I don't want her?"

" She probably already knows ," deduced Ginny," she's a bimbo but she isn't dumb. A girl would know when the guy she is with is in love with someone else ..and don't argue because we all know it's the truth. Lavender is the type of girl who likes control and its your bloody fault , Ron, for letting her control the relationship inn the first place "

" So why does she still want to be with me, Sis ," asked a frustrated Ron," I'm being a total prat to her. I would dump me …and apparently so would Luna "

" I don't know ," said Ginny, considering ," I think you just need to make the break. I tried to be kind and truthful with Dean but he still got hurt but I couldn't keep ignoring my heart. That made it worse for the both of us "

" It was easier when we were 13 " muttered a disgruntled Ron ," never had girl problems cept fighting with Mione over her damn cat "

" Speaking of Hermione ," cut in Harry ," I haven't seen her this morning . Have you ?"

" No ," answered Ron," maybe she is in the library to avoid me "

" Maybe you should try finding her instead of griping to us about her " suggests Harry

Ron scowled at him." You trying to get rid of me , Harry , so you can snog my sister ?"

" I don't need your permission to snog my girlfriend," replied Harry, " but as a matter of fact, yes, I am "

Ginny giggled ," Romantic . Isn't he ?"

" Have at it then, Mate ," remarked Ron ,heading out of the common room ,leaving the new couple alone . It was weird as hell but he couldn't deny that he had never seen his best friend this light-hearted and happy.

Maybe Harry and Ginny was really something good .

" He's gone mental finally " declared Ginny as Harry kissed her again .

He let out a groan," I thought we were kissing ..you want to talk about your brother ?"

" No…" Gin kissed him again," I just ..wish we could help hurry him and Hermione along . Those two are worst than those Muggle soaps Dad watches …"

" Do you have any suggestions ," Harry smoothed his hand down her arm," cause I have no idea . I'm just thankful the war part is over between them ..im the one who was mental "

" Not at the moment " answered Ginny, wrapping her arm around his neck, " now where were we, Harry ? Oh right , snogging "

They were very involved in kissing when Luna and Neville decided to join them .

" Oh , don't they look so happy, Neville ," Luna looped her hand in the crook of Neville's arm," and look at their aura's ? The prettiest shades of pink I have ever seen "

Neville colored a bit, embarrassed." I am sure they want to be alone "

" Well then they wouldn't be snogging in the common ," said Luna, clearly ," I am positive they wouldn't mind a bit if we joined them "

She sat on the armchair and pulled her boyfriend to sit with her ." There , perfect "

Luna reached up and brushed at Neville's bangs and pressed her lips to his in a sweet kiss " Ah, Luna ," whispered Neville," I'm mad for you "

" I love you too, Neville " Luna cuddled closer to him," and isn't it the most perfect morning to be with friends and cuddle with the one you love "

Harry groaned and ended his kiss with Ginny, pulling back to look at their friends .

" I am really reconsidering the broom closet idea, Gin "

She chuckled and moved closer to him." Hello, Neville, Luna "

" Good morning ," greeted Luna ," you two look quite cozy today "

" Thanks, Luna ," smiled Ginny," though I think Harry is reconsidering hanging out here . I thought you two were going to be off working on your latest plant discovery "

Luna crossed her legs and a thoughtful expression crossed her face. " Neville and I started the new strain of it ," explained Luna, matter of fact," however Professor Sprout didn't want us working on it in the greenhouse all of the time. "

" You got kicked out of the greenhouse ?" inquired an amused Harry , trying to imagine how such a thing could have even happened .

Neville turned red . " How was I to know that Professor Sprout would be checking the greenhouse on a Sunday ? "

Harry and Ginny couldn't smother their laughter and chuckled at the image .

" Oh now it isn't that much of a laugh," said Luna , calmly," Neville and I were only having a bit of a snog. I do think Professor Sprout was rather more embarrassed "

" It was mortifying, Luna " argued Neville," she is my favorite teacher "

" It isn't as if the teachers aren't aware of who are dating " said Luna, simply.

" Neville, the rule breaker ," grinned Harry ," way to go, mate "

" Well, at least with you and Ginny a couple now," joked Neville ," maybe all the talk will finally die down about me and Luna. It gets old after all….really old "

" It's just the silly gossips than make it nonsense ," said a practical Luna ," instead of being concerned about the attacks on Muggles and the potential for a war, they worry about the state of whom stole whom and who was snogging in the dungeons "

Harry grew serious as he was reminded of the job that Dumbledore had enlisted in him.

" It's nice to forget for a time ,' replied Harry," but none of that is going to go away "

Ginny held his hand, giving it a squeeze." Do you have somewhere else you need to be ?"

Harry rubbed his chin, wryly. " I should be ," admitted The Chosen one ," but I think I need to come up with another plan ..besides right now I don't think that Slughorn would care to see me . Let alone talk to me "

Ginny only nodded ," If your sure , Harry, because I do understand "

He squeezed her knee ." I know that, Gin, but right now I just want to be with you "

Ginny rested her head on his chest and was content ." So snogging aside for the moment, I think the kitty should be raised on Ron chucking Lavender soon "

" He has to actually dump her first " reminded Harry ," and he's tried twice "

" Third time is a charm " sang out Luna in a sing song voice .

Meanwhile , Hermione had given up the pretext of studying and had batted zero on finding anything remotely useful regarding the Prince in Harry's book so giving into her frustration, she decided a bit of the crisp air was what she needed.

There was a nip in the air as she stood on the Transfiguration bridge and watched the frozen Black lake , her thoughts still a jumble of emotion .

Could ..would she be able to really just go backwards being friends with Ron ? Especially since she had all but exposed her heart for him to see.

Clearly, she would try her very best to find some amiable ground there .

She and Ron had always been the best friends and since there was obviously nothing more then she would have to use all of the courage that she possessed .

" You know, Granger ," spoke up Lavender , stopping to join her at the bridge, " since you clearly aren't the little prude of Gryffindor, I just want to remind you that whatever tricks you may have , they wont work. Ron is in love with me "

Hermione straightened ." Ron is my best friend . You needn't be concerned "

Lavender's lips turned into a snarl. " I see how you look at him, " pointed out Lavender ," and your just pissed because he doesn't want you. I mean , really, Hermione, have you taken a care to look at yourself ? I suppose your pretty in your way but I am beautiful and sexy ..and he loves my body "

Hermione bit her lip and curled her hand in a fist. She was still a lady .

She would not sink to lavender's level ..but oh,how she wanted to hit the vile witch!

Then Ron would really hate her and she couldn't bear that..it was awkward enough now.

" There isn't any need to be rude ," says Hermione , stiffly ,"I don't begin to fathom your relationship with Ron but that is his business ."

" I don't buy this goody goody act of yours , Hermione " tossed out Lavender

" I don't need to put on airs ," stated Hermione ," this is who I am "

" I just thought we should talk since you've decided to talk with my Ron again," informed Lavender , her voice thick with a veiled threat ," he is mine "

" You can have him " says Hermione, airily," I don't care one way or the other "

Ron had been wandering around the castle , hoping to run into Hermione and knew to check all of her thinking spots which had taken him out to the transfiguration courtyard and the bridge. He noticed her brown curls and the grey beret first and stopped when he noticed that she was having a conversation with Lavender .

Bloody hell, this couldn't be good !

" Hermione ," Ron jogged over to them," there you are…I've been looking for you "

Hermione lifted her chin, turned and her brown eyes collided with his blue, and got lost momentarily in their clear depths . " Ronald "

" Hi …" sputtered Ron," uh, Harry and Gin are hanging out in the common. I thought maybe you might want ..to join them, too "

" Oh….that sounds nice " Hermione softened ," it is a bit chilly out here "

Lavender crossed her arms and turned her gaze on her boyfriend ." Shouldn't you be asking me if I would like to hang with your friends with you , Won Won ?"

Ron gulped ," We are having breathing room, Lav. Hermione is my friend and I..I want to spend time with her "

A pout formed on Lavender's red lips. " I am getting tired of this space ," informed Lavender , closing the distance between them and pressing her chest against him," and surely you will be soon. I think we need the alone time…more '

Ron pushed her away ." Don't do stuff like this …act like a scarlet woman "

Hermione tried to hide the giggle that escaped her lips but Ron noticed it .

Lavender willed the tears ." I don't know why you are so mean to me , Ron ! "

Then before he could have a chance to say more, Lavender sent Hermione a filthy look and ran off, crying , leaving a befuddled Ron and a confused Hermione .

" Shit "

" Language, Ronald ' says Hermione , before she was able to stop herself.

" Sorry but the woman doesn't get it ," groaned Ron," what was I thinking when I got with her ?"

Hurt was visible in Hermione 's eyes ." I don't really know nor do I care too "

" Mione, please , don't start again ," Ron moved towards her ," it isn't all serious with me and Lavender . I mean, maybe it is for her but I don't feel the same way …not for her '

" You should tell this to Harry ," Hermione moved away from him," I really don't need to know the sordid details of your love affair , Ronald. Do I need to make you a list of things we can talk about ? I think , given the circumstances , you would finally understand that I ..I cant listen to how many times you've touched her ..or kissed her "

Her voice broke," She made it clear and I would rather not get into this anymore "

Ron reached out and took her hand, electricity shivered through their skin at the mere touch. " Lavender said something to you "

" I don't like her , she doesn't like me ," informed Hermione ," it is fine, Ron "

He moved closer , not breaking the contact and reached out to touch a curl.

" I ..don't want to be with her ," choked out Ron," I ..shouldn't have gotten with Lavender ..in the first place . I don't want her ….its someone else …its …"

Hermione opened her mouth to speak but was fascinated by the way it felt when he touched her . Warm and right and heady.

" You…you didn't expect to fall for her , I see " murmured Hermione , softly.

" It's not like that ," admitted Ron, his voice husky ," it was fun and exciting but it was never right . Don't you see ..what I am trying to tell you, Mione ?"

" N-nooooo .." murmured Hermione , her hand involuntarily touching his jacket ," I…I…we shouldn't …you have a girlfriend , Ron "

Ron took a step closer and let instinct lead him." I've been trying to chuck her "

Hermione shook her head as if to clear it and though her voice shook with emotion, she managed to find her voice ," What is this, Ron ? Am I the last resort ? I..I don't understand this..or you….but I wont be the rebound girl "

" Mione, no," insisted Ron, clutching at her arms ," no, Hermione , your who I want . "

Her lip trembled at his words and her heart beat erratically against her chest .

" I..I need to think," decided Hermione ," and you need to be sure, Ron "

Stepping from his loose embrace, Hermione glanced at him once more and then took off towards the Gryffindor common room, leaving a dejected Ron.

" I knew I should have kissed her " muttered Ron, under his breath .


	19. Chapter 20

Disclaimer : I don't own anything Harry Potter , all rights belong to JKR.

Ginny couldn't have been happier as she cuddled against Harry , just talking , really talking like they never had really before, despite the constant interruptions .

" Maybe we should find somewhere more private, Gin " Harry stroked her red hair, loving how soft and silky it was ," that all of Gryffindor wont be charging in "

They were on the sofa in the common room and alone they weren't. Neville and Luna were holding hands and quietly discussing their new strain of plant in the corner while Parvarti and her sister Padma were perusing the latest Witches Weekly .

" They might as well get used to us, Harry ," said Ginny," but I agree "

" Room of Requirement " suggested Harry , in a low tone .

Ginny arched a brow. " Where you snogged your last girlfriend senseless ," cracked Ginny ," not unless you intend to see my temper "

Harry winced ," Sorry, I forgot "

She laughed at him." I am irrationally jealous when it comes to you, Harry "

Harry kissed her , lightly. " That is really a turn on "

" You sweet talker , Harry Potter " teased Ginny ," I never would have guessed "

" It's a new side of me ," confessed Harry, honestly ," just found it out . "

" So long as your not taking romantic advice from those sods of brothers of mine "

Just then the door slammed loudly, startling everyone in the common, as an indignant Lavender Brown stormed in , angrily .

" That little miss Goody Goody is out to steal my man " announced Lavender ," Granger just cant stand that Ron wants to be with me ! "

" Uh oh " muttered Neville as Luna let out a dispirited sigh beside him.

" Bollocks " swore Harry then caught himself, " sorry, Ginny "

" No, I think that's pretty right " agreed Ginny," something must have happened "

Parvarti moved over to tend to her best friend. " Lavender , " inquired Parvarti ," Hermione and Ron have been friends since our first year. "

Lavender made a noise ." She hasn't given him the time of day until Won Won and I decided our relationship was serious , Parvarti "

" What ..exactly did you do to Hermione ?" cut in Harry, concern overriding his need to be alone with his extremely tempting girlfriend .

" I just put her in her place, Harry " informed Lavender ," I had that right "

" That couldn't have been good …." said Harry ," maybe I should go find Hermione "

Ginny blew out another breath and knew neither of them would be able to enjoy being together until they both knew that Hermione was alright and not off having a cry .

" I agree that we need to see how Hermione is ," stated Ginny , running her hand lightly down his chest ," but I think I should do that . You need to deal with my idiot brother "

Harry pressed his forehead against his ." Those two are going to make me mental "

" You already have your moments ," Ginny pressed her lips to his ," and you know , Ron will just do something else and muck it up if you don't talk to him "

" Can I break up with Lavender for him " whispered Harry, only half joking ," what ? That is helping and Ron would thank me for it "

" No " Ginny kissed him, sweetly, the kiss lingering a bit longer then she left his arms and went off to try and find where Hermione would be at.

" There has to be a privacy invisibility spell for romance " groaned Harry to himself .

Hermione had found herself on an empty staircase and plopped down trying to formulate the fact that Ron had nearly kissed her . He wanted her !

It was a lot and he seemed so sincere but how could she know Ron meant it ?

For all that she knew , he and lavender were fighting and she was just convenient .

Always there , convenient Hermione .

It made sense and as much as her heart had gotten carried away , she couldn't .

Ron wouldn't hurt her any longer .

" Hermione ," Ginny found her easily enough ," wouldn't it have been more satisfying if you just punched the little dimwitted slut and been done with it for good ?"

Hermione looked up, a tight smile on her face. " I didn't want the detentions "

Ginny sat down beside her ." Lavender is making big scenes over how your after Ron "

" She accused me of a lot of things ," says Hermione ,wryly ," I think she and Ron must be having problems in their. Relationship though Ron says otherwise . I can hardly believe him though ….."

" Ron is a prat ," agreed Ginny ," I'm not disagreeing but my brother has never lied . "

" Well, I know that but since he's become as fanciable as Harry lately , I cant determine which Ron I am talking with ..anymore " says Hermione ," its too difficult "

" Since when has Hermione Granger not been up to a challenge ? " countered Ginny

" I…..my judgment isn't what it should be ," explained Hermione , trying to explain it ," not where Ron is concerned . " Color flushed her cheeks ," I cant stand Lavender but I can handle her, Gin. Ron ..its crazy…he nearly kissed me earlier "

Ginny turned, excitedly , and took her hands ." Oh my Merlin ! Hermione , why the bloody hell are you telling me now ? You should have told me first…. I knew the prat would finally get off his arse and show you how much he cares "

Hermione 's nerves shook, slightly ." He says this yet he is still with her "

" Because my brother is a damn coward " informed an excited Ginny ," I swear, Hermione , he is really been trying to dump the bimbo "

" I wont be Ron's last resort or his rebound , Gin," assured Hermione ," I….just because he's acting all strange and sweet …he chose her over me "

" That was partly my fault ," argued Ginny," he was still pissed over you and Krum . He's a bloke, Hermione, he wasn't thinking with his heart or brain "

Tears shimmered in her eyes but Hermione refused to cry them again ." I am aware just how attracted Ron is to Lavender . Even if I wasn't , Lavender makes sure to tell me how gifted Ron is in the ..romance department "

" Hermione " Ginny shook her head," Ron's a moron but you know he isn't sleeping with Lavender . He isn't in love with her ! "

" Is that what Harry told you tell me ? I know he would hide it from me so as not to hurt my feelings more "

" Harry doesn't have to tell me anything ," insisted Ginny," I know my brother "

Hermione wrapped her arms around herself as if to protect herself from her emotions .

" I thought it was a dream, Gin, I did . One minute were having a row and the next Ron is telling me how…how he wants me . "

" Ron said that he wants you " repeated Ginny, " to you "

Hermione let out a dry laugh." I thought I was still daydreaming because I just…I never expected it . If Ron wants me though I don't understand about Lavender and I wont …I have spent most of this term crying over him and sinking to her level.

I promised myself I wouldn't do that any longer and now Ron does this "

" If Ron nearly kissed you ," stated Ginny," and told you this then I think you ought to believe him. You know that Ron doesn't just open up about his feelings …..and I know he hurt you but I also know your still in love with him "

" Just because your happily in love with Harry doesn't mean the same will actually happen between Ron and myself , Ginny Weasley "

" Yes, I feel like I am walking on a cloud when I'm with Harry ," beamed Ginny," and I love his smile. I never noticed how sexy his smile was ..alright , maybe I did but its so much more now …and bollocks , you and my brother are bloody in love too "

Despite her conflicted emotions, Hermione was truly happy for her friends .

Harry deserved to be happy and Ginny was just perfect for him.

" I am soo happy for you two " confessed Hermione ," truly I am "

" We haven't been together long at all, I know ," confided Ginny , her toffee coated eyes sparkling with love when she spoke of Harry ," but we are so great together "

" I had no doubt " agreed Hermione ," and as for me and Ron, I just don't know . Not anymore …..I want to believe him so bad but I..I cant be sure yet "

" How many times have you told me to trust my heart ? " asked Ginny, simply.

" I suppose your going to throw my words right back in my face "

" Yes ," Ginny gave her a hug ," and really listen to Ron this time . If you wont believe me , I am sure my boyfriend would be glad to his offer his advice too "

" Thanks, Ginny ," says Hermione ," but I think I can figure this out on my own "

Ginny rolled her eyes, upward. " You love Ron "

" I don't need reminded of that ," informed Hermione ," trust me, I know . Now stop trying to advise me and go snog Harry to death .."

" Oh I fully intend to ," Ginny grinned mischievously ," there just isn't any privacy whatsoever in the common room "

" Harry , mate ," announced Ron, pacing back and forth in their dorm room ," oh hey Neville " His friend was busy rifling through his trunk ," I need to chuck Lavender good and fast ! I almost kissed Mione ! I came so bloody close ..she was so close and beautiful "

" Then why are you here and not getting rid of your girlfriend ?" asked Harry

" She's up in her dorm with the girls ," said Ron," the dorm she shares with Hermione . I think I need to do it more private ….cause Lav is going to be pissed "

" He's only thinking of Hermione's feelings " deduced Neville with a cheeky grin.

" I am , Neville ," replied Ron ," especially since I sort of told her I want to be with her "

Harry slapped his best mate on the back, proudly, " About time ," Harry was relieved ," proud of you, mate. So how did Hermione take it ? She's been furious at you for months and you hit her with that ..I bet she was thrilled "

" I think shocked was more like it ," Ron scratched his brow, considered ," she's got into it with Lavender before I showed up. Those girls really hate each other "

He paused ," Outside of You Know Who and Malfoy , Hermione doesn't usually hate anyone . "

" No offense to your girlfriend , Ron, " contributed Neville ," but Luna isn't overly fond over Lavender either . She is rude to her "

" I'm gonna fix that, " reassured Ron ," I think I am just gonna tell Lavender straight away that we're over . Make a clean break so I can work out being with Mione "

" Third times a charm " said Harry

" That will be the hard part ," figured Neville ," I am still figuring out Luna and we're together . Good luck with Hermione …..she's quite mad at you "

" Mad Hermione is best ," said Ron, confidently ," I know how to handle her "

Harry chuckled ," Because you've done so well with her in the past "

" Shut up, Harry "

" Sir ," Harry noticed Slughorn as he was en route to meet Ginny on the pitch ," it's good to see you. How have you been ? Terribly sorry I have missed the last few supper clubs…Hermione told you I have been busy "

Slughorn appeared flustered . " Understandable, Harry . Things happen, my boy "

" I was curious ," tried Harry , again," I thought perhaps we could talk…I have some questions, Professor "

" Er, if this is more of rubbish Dumbledore put you up to ," dismissed Slughorn," wont do at all. I have things to do…I'm very busy "

Before Harry could protest or come up with another reasonable tact to address the matter at hand, Slughorn bustled down the hallway , leaving him alone .

Damn.

How was it that getting information from the professor was much harder than fighting off Dementers ?

He made his way out to the pitch , rubbing his hands together to warm them from the slight chill in the winters air , and that was when he saw Ginny .

She was on her broom, racing across the pitch, red hair flowing down her back and looking more beautiful than the last time he had seen her .

She rode the wind and as always he was amazed by her prowess.

" Ginny "

Ginny touched down, tossed the broom aside, and was in his arms, lips meshed with his, soaking , drinking in, clinging to one another as if they had been apart days instead of hours . She dug her fingers into his dark hair and kissed him, eagerly.

Harry gentled the kiss ." I missed you, Gin "

" Obviously " teased Ginny, pulling him over to sit together on the bleachers ," and luckily, the pitch was empty. I was afraid I was going to hex whoever came and interrupted us next and I was afraid it would have been Neville "

Harry laughed and folded her in his arms, content to hold her and inhaled her scent .

He would have to find out what it was so he could buy her more perfume .

" I'm sorry im late ," said Harry ," I ran into Slughorn so I had to try "

" Any luck with getting a straight answer from him ?" inquired Ginny , concerned .

" No," answered Harry , truthfully ," I figured since he was so fond of my mother , it might make it easier for him to open up to me about Voldermort "

He scoffed ," The man has all but slammed the door on me and frankly , I am expecting that to be next. Dumbledore isn't going to be happy with me "

" Keep trying , Harry," urged Ginny," you will wear him down. Dumbledore wouldn't have asked you to do this if he didn't believe you could .."

" I'm glad you have faith in me " muttered Harry ," I'm having my own doubts about getting this memory. I've about tried everything as it is ….."

" You'll think of something else ," stated Ginny,' I know you will "

Harry folded her hand into his own, noticing how perfect they fit together .

" I have another confession to make " admitted Harry " Your Reducto impressed the hell out of me, Ginny . It and you were a sight to see ..I just couldn't say it "

" Because of the fact you were ogling after Cho or that I was with Michael "

" Maybe all of the above but then there was a lot I might have noticed if I had been looking for it ," Harry was chagrined ," like who would have known a trip to the Ministry of Magic would have made Neville and Luna fall for each other ?"

" I saw that coming …" predicted Ginny ," and for the record, Cho is the ex girlfriend "

" Right so shutting up about her ," answered Harry, picking up on what she was getting at ," honestly, Ginny, there was so many times when I wanted to punch Dean and kiss you . I have been thinking about you since the summer…it was just more clear to me once I realized I missed seeing you every day "

" I am just happy to be with you, Harry " Ginny caressed his cheek," we don't have to analyze everything . I think it would ruin the mood ."

" Yeah," Harry kissed her once more ," so how is Hermione ?"

Ginny scooted closer to him and relaxed ." Afraid my git of a brother only wants her now because he's either bored with Lavender or convenient "

" Even after Ron almost kissed her ?" inquired an incredulous Harry . It baffled and amazed him how stubborn and blind his best friends could be, time and again .

" Even ," stated Ginny ," and I understand where she is coming from, Harry . Ron really needs to end it with lavender for good and start showing Hermione his feelings .."

" Well, you wouldn't let me break them up " joked Harry, teasingly .

" Ron has to do it " said Ginny, matter of fact," and I hope he succeeds this time "

" I think he will this time "

Ginny toyed with the small hole in the knee of his jeans ." This is pretty perfect "

" You, me and the Quidditch pitch " Harry kissed her ear," you don't think we're invading Fred and Angelina's sacred snogging spot ?"

Ginny chuckled ." Since neither one of them are here anymore, no "

" Ginny," Harry grew serious ," I love being with you. This is what I want but you do know the risks..I mean, I'm almost always trying to be killed by either Voldermort or Death Eaters "

" Your funny , Harry ," Ginny held his face, lovingly in her hands," and I know all of that. I love your honor and your nobility but I am not going to leave you anytime soon "

" If it gets dangerous, Ginny …" started Harry, " I would never jeopardize your life "

" I know and enough talking for now " Ginny brought her mouth down over his, silencing him with a kiss and riding and floating on a wave of bliss and love .

**Ginny and Harry are in love. Will Ron actually dump Lavender this time ? What will Ron have to do to prove to Hermione that he cares only for her ? **


	20. Chapter 21

Hermione had been unusually quiet during breakfast , barely nibbling on her toast and reading some book she had taken from the library in her quest to find out who the Half Blood prince was and though Harry appreciated the help, he was concerned .

It was good that his two best friends were speaking again but it seemed to him that Hermione was trying to distance herself for her romantic feelings she had for Ron.

Or at least that was his take on it …no one did unfailing polite like his best friend .

Ginny had informed him it was more than just that and he was a bloke so he couldn't see it . Lavender was making it a point to make Hermione's life hell .

Harry knew the girls didn't like each other but then he didn't really understand them .

He missed Ginny this morning as she and Luna were off working on some project for Charms . Ron was no where to be seen and since he didn't make it a point to miss breakfast, Harry figured he was off trying to get rid of Lavender .

He took a drink of pumpkin juice and tried to catch his friends eyes.

" So, Hermione, I am surprised that you don't have anything to say about me and Ginny being together now that it is just us "

Hermione closed her book and sent him a small smile. " Oh Harry, I couldn't be anymore happier for you ," gushed Hermione ," you both deserve to be happy. Not to mention that its quite ..nice to see you smiling and acting the fool when your with Ginny "

" Fool," repeated Harry ," I don't ..do I ? "

" Lovesick in a good way " contributed Neville ," Hermione accused me of the same thing about Luna . Wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not but decided it is "

" Well your a lot more cheerful and happy with Ginny than you ever were when you dated Cho " stated Hermione , primly ," and I meant what I said as well, Neville "

The two young men exchanged looks and simply nodded at one another .

" Since we're on the subject of happiness and all," broached Harry ," I think you should seriously hear Ron out this time, Hermione "

" I have listened to him, Harry ," says Hermione ," and I understand more than you think. Ron and I can salvage our friendship . I have missed being friends with him but I wont expect anything more than that simply because I happen to be convenient when he and his girlfriend are rowing .."

" They aren't rowing ," brought up Harry, trying to help," wish they were "

" That isn't what I saw ," informed Hermione ," and I would rather not talk about it, Harry "

" Why not ?' questioned Harry in low tones so that no one could hear them," when I admitted to you about me and Ginny, you wanted to talk all of the time about it . I think its fair to say I want to talk about you and Ron this time around "

" That is clever, Harry, but again there isn't any me and Ron to discuss " Having her say, Hermione grabbed her books and stood ," I have to return these to the library, I will catch up with you in class later "

Hermione strolled out of the Great Hall leaving a baffled Harry and Neville .

" Ron and Hermione are quite mental " decided Neville .

" Mental works and mad too " agreed Harry ," but I am counting on Ron to fix it this time .He is really serious about wanting to be with Hermione …and frankly , I cant take much more of him and Lavender "

" Don't let the girls hear you say that," chimed in Seamus ," it will be the death of all of us for sure, Harry. Parvarti has been hinting as much to Lavender but its not doing any good and I'm the one who has to pay by listening to her scream and prattle over it "

" Believe me, Seamus, I don't enjoy being caught in the middle of my best friends "

" Lavender is fine indeed but not for Weasley " added Seamus ," but I don't fancy getting on the girls bad side either , I've heard stories too "

" Rumors " added Neville," I know she isn't very nice but Parvarti wouldn't be friends with her if she was vile. Would she, Seamus ?"

" No," said Seamus," I don't know .I don't understand how their minds operate. They've been best friends since First Year …."

" I don't much like interfering in this romance stuff ," explained Harry," usually I just ask Hermione to explain things mostly but might be safer if we all maybe kept our eyes open. Maybe gave a nudge if we could..to keep the peace "

" I'm game ," agreed Seamus ," and Harry, Dean's still a bit pissed over you and Ginny so I'd give the man a bit of berth till his ego heals "

" I thought I had been doing that as it was …." said Harry , with a nod .

While the blokes were discussing tactical techniques to keep the peace in the Gryffindor common room as well as the dorms, Ron was gathering all of his courage and waiting for the moment when Lavender would meet him in the Astronomy Tower .

He had sent her an owl last night requesting she meet him and now he was waiting .

Ron was never good at waiting .

Gave him too much time to think about things and his feelings .

Hermione .

Between worrying over his family and Harry, it seemed as if his thoughts were consumed by Hermione . The memory of her eyes flashing at him in confusion and indignation hit him squarely in the gut making his realizations all the more clear as ice .

" Won Won ," Lavender flung her arms around his neck," I received your owl .Oooh this is just the most romantic thing you have ever done for me "

He removed her hands from around his neck and felt a sense of deja vue .

" This isn't about romance," replied Ron, swallowing the giant lump of nerves lodged in his throat ," least not ours. I wanted to talk to you …because I'm not happy "

" Not happy ," repeated Lavender ," I think I make you perfectly happy , Ron . I understand all about your secrecy and you being Harry's right hand man obviously takes its toll on you ..clearly, your not thinking at all "

" That's not the point ," replied Ron, trying again," look, Lav, you and I have nothing in common . I mean, it was all chemical and really great for awhile but it stopped being more …I mean, the thing is we never should have gotten together in the first place "

Lavender drew up and felt anger reverberate throughout her whole body .

" I fell in love with you, Won Won, and you love me back . I know you do "

He turned, dragged a tired hand through his hair and knew this would be ugly .

" I wish I did ," admitted Ron, regretfully ," but I would be lying to you. I cant lie and pretend anymore, Lavender, and I don't want too "

" This is about Granger ," tossed back a furious Lavender ," I don't know what kind of hold the little bookworm has on you but she does . Are you wanting an affair with her ? Get her out of your system so you can realize we are meant to be "

Ron paced, cagily , and had to remind himself he created this mess in the first place.

Time to be a man and get out of it .

" No ," stated Ron, making his meaning clear," I'm breaking up with you, Lavender . It isn't right or fair and I shouldn't be with you when I am in love with someone else "

Her laughter was derisive and a little mad , reminding Ron oddly and frightening enough of Bellatrix Lestrange . It was unsettling to say the least .

" In love with Hermione Granger ? Bollocks , she must have cast a powerful charm on you if you believe that drivel ? Or do you simply want to shag her ? "

She paused ," For the likes of me I don't see how you could want to ditch me for the likes of a frigid little goody goody like Hermione Granger "

Ron curled his fist together and held his breath. " Don't talk about Mione like that . I wont have you speak to her , about her like that, Lavender "

Her smile curled just so, a bit of a snarl ." You wont be having me at all "

" We're through, Lavender ," finished Ron," I'm sorry that I hurt you but please act like a lady. Don't be calling Hermione foul names . You want to curse me and call me a sod or whatever, I deserve that. It's my fault and I get that but it wont change anything "

" You're a bloody arsehole, Ron " said a furious Lavender, tears streaming silently down her face," and make no mistake, you will regret breaking up with me "

Giving him a filthy look , Lavender stormed out of the tower room , allowing Ron to breath a sigh of relief . He had ended things finally .

Lavender hated his guts and hoped she didn't do anything rash in anger but it was as if he had his life back.

Now he needed to convince Hermione his words were true .

Ron leaned over the railing and glanced downward, noticing a figure walking briskly below , brown curls blowing against her shoulders from the slight wind in the air .

Hermione .

She was probably on her way to class and he was grateful they shared many of the same classes . His Dad had said he should woo Hermione and though it sounded very old fashioned , Ron intended to do right by the girl he was in love with .

Telling her right off would be senseless , she didn't believe him anyways as it was .

He would show her that there was and always had been an us . He had just been the fool and handled it and her completely wrong .

That changed right now .

He intended to charm Hermione until she loved him back .

Hermione was en route to her Advanced Muggle Studies when Cormac McLaggen appeared at the corner, a slick smile on his face and leaning casually against a pillar .

She cursed under her breath and pasted a polite smile on her face .

" Cormac "

" Hermione , just the little witch I was looking for ," said Cormac," I thought you might fancy me carrying your books while I walk you to your class "

" Thanks for the offer but I can manage on my own " stated Hermione , firmly .

" It wasn't an offer, " Cormac moved closer to her ," I am walking you to class "

" I already told you, Cormac, that I am not interested in you "

" That's sweet , Hermione , it is ," said cormac , leaning in and catching a whiff of her perfume ," I like that your not like all of the others girls at this school. However, I don't fancy a fight out in the open like this so come along, my darling "

" I am not your darling ," informed Hermione ," and its not going to change my mind . Now if you will excuse me, I have to get to class now …"

He clamped his hand over her wrist and she felt alarms go off in her head .

" I do love your fight ," said Cormack ," very appealing but not in the public "

" Get your hand off of me before I curse it " warned Hermione , softly .

" Hermione ," Ginny and Luna rounded the corner ," is there a problem ?"

" Your aura is cloudy " noted a worried Luna .

" No problem ," Hermione sent Cormac a withering look ," Cormac and I were having a slight disagreement about Harry's ability as Quid ditch captain "

Cormac let go of Hermione and couldn't help but to admire her quick thinking . Clearly she didn't want her friends to know about their mutual attraction .

" Obviously I am more suited to Keeper than Weasley " said Cormac , easily .

" Naturally I disagreed ," says Hermione, thinly, " he thought I might be able to get Harry to change his mind .." She gave a nervous laugh," Harry wouldn't , of course "

Ginny looked from Cormac then back at Hermione ." Quid ditch . Really ?"

" Granger is quite attentive and the best friend of Harry . I had to try " lied Cormack .

" I don't believe you " this came from Luna , her wide eyes appraising him .

" I'll be going now …see you around, Granger " Giving her a wink that made her repulsed , Cormac walked away , leaving her with her friends .

" I should be going to class now ," muttered Hermione ," I don't want to be late "

" What was that, Hermione ? You hate the slime " accused Ginny," I doubt very much he wanted to ask you to help him talk to Harry ..he's been annoying Harry every other day at practice as it is . "

" It was nothing, Ginny ," dismissed Hermione , non-plussed ," honestly, Cormac is mostly annoying . I had everything under control….he thinks he fancies me "

" McLaggen is dangerous " sang out Luna ," I don't like him at all "

" I think he is vile but I have told him I don't fancy him back," reassured Hermione ," I am sure he will get bored trying to act the gentleman and find another girl in no time. I am hardly the only girl he hasn't dated at Hogwarts …you two are overreacting a bit "

" Your not reacting enough, Hermione ," added Ginny ," you could have at least jinxed the bastard or something . Blokes like him need to get the picture "

" I think he understands that I don't fancy him. I was quite clear about it "

" His aura is cloudy and dark ," told Luna with a chill ," and not like a Death Eater either . I just think you should be extra careful around him from now on, Hermione "

" I will " says Hermione ," and honestly, I have to go. I don't want to be late "

" Hermione " started Ginny but she was already sprinting towards her class.

" I have a really bad feeling about this, Ginny ," spoke up Luna, in a soft tone ," I know Hermione is most brilliant but my skin is creeped out by Cormac "

" Hermione has turned down dates before , Luna ," said a pensive Ginny," I think Terry Boot finally gave up asking her out last year when she kept telling him no and he's nice. Ordinarily I would believe Hermione but I cant stand McLaggen either "

" So we should all keep an eye out on her to be safe " decided Luna, knowingly .

" Couldn't hurt ," agreed Ginny," the worst that could happen is she be mad at us "

Cormac had ditched his study hall and headed towards the kitchens to scrounge up a fire whiskey from the house elves when a feminine hand with red tipped fingernail reached for him and pulled him into a more private alcove near the kitchens .

" Darling, I know you want me but I would prefer away from the elves "

Lavender glowered at him ." This is hardly my style , Cormac, but I noticed something . Something ..interesting ..I thought we should have a little talk "

He lifted a brow, putting his arms around her as if in a lovers embrace .

" Talk, Lavender ? Weasley isn't satisfying your needs, so you came to me "

" Don't be filthy ," pouted Lavender ," my Won Won is confused at the moment. He ..he dumped me earlier…..and I know he will realize he made a mistake "

" Ouch ! That must hurt but then he is daft , that one " stated Cormac

" He fancies himself in love with Hermione Granger ," scowled Lavender ," and I noticed you seem to be fancying the bookworm yourself "

" She's a coy little minx ," informed cormac ," I imagine she is hellfire in bed "

" So perhaps you could help me ," Lavender trailed a polished nail up and down his chest as she brought her body as close to him as she could ," you help me get Ron back "

She nipped at his neck," I'll help you get Granger ..among other things "

Cormac captured her lips in a heated kiss ," Deal "


	21. Chapter 22

While the Daily Prophet reported such troubling facts as Death Eater sighting and Muggle disappearances to name a few, it was the news that Ron Weasley had dumped Lavender Brown that occupied the minds at Hogwarts. Ginny was pleased that her brother had finally managed to get rid of the blonde but she had already ran into her in the common room , shooting Hermione filthy looks.

From her perspective , girls like Lavender couldn't be trusted .

Hermione acted as if it wasn't anything of importance or worth worrying over at all.

" I just think you should watch your back is all I'm saying, Hermione "

" Just because Lavender is a cow ," says Hermione , taking a nibble of her toast ," it is hardly my fault Ron ended their relationship. She's a tart and quite uncouth but I honestly don't see her resorting to desperate measures involving myself..its ludicrous, Gin "

" Which is exactly why she would try something " amended Ginny ," that and the fact that she has to be pissed . You are the reason my brother broke up with Lavender in the first place , Hermione .."

" I doubt very much that is true " said Hermione , stiffly

" It is true " agreed Harry as he bent down to kiss his girlfriend ," hi Ginny "

He slid down to sit beside her and began to fill his plate as he observed his best friend .

" You're both mental and crazy for each other , Hermione "

Hermione fixed him with a dubious look. " Just because you are blissfully happy with Ginny, Harry ," countered Hermione ," doesn't mean that there has been or..ever was anything more ..than friendship between myself and Ron "

" Really, Hermione ?" asked Harry as if reminding her they were best friends .

He knew what was in her heart .

" I might have ..misinterpreted my feelings is all but I am past that, Harry "

Harry made a face ," Bollocks "

" You know I agree with Harry on this, Hermione " informed Ginny, simply.

" You've all had your say in my love life and now I am moving on with it "

Parvarti tried to steer her rather put upon and furious best friend away from the table that seated Hermione but to no avail. Lavender was on a tear and nothing that she said to her seemed to be getting through , which was unfortunate .

" You just need to have a good cry and forget about Ron Weasley " Parvarti changed tactics ," he wasn't all that great of a boyfriend to you in the first place "

" We were in love until she butted her bookworm nose into our business " Lavender shot a glare at Hermione ," he wanted me until Granger did her little innocent crying thing and my Won Won is too sensitive ….she destroyed us on purpose "

" Lav, I know your heartbroken ," said Parvarti," but you knew going in that Ron had feelings for Hermione . Everyone in Gryffindor knew …except probably Hermione "

" Why are you defending her , Parv ? You're supposed to be my best friend "

" I think you are better off without Ron ," tried Parvarti ," and I am your best friend . I just think that your hurt and upset and not thinking clearly about this break up .."

" It isn't over ," stated Lavender ," he may think it is but Won Won has another thing coming to. I saw our names written in the stars ..Ron and Lavender together "

With a filthy look at both her best friend and her enemy , she flounced off .

Parvarti stopped in front of the Gryffindor table., an apologetic expression across her face.

" Hermione ," approached the Indian girl ," for what its worth, it bothers me that my best friend is hurting. She really does love Ron in her own way but I think maybe you should steer clear of Lavender until this all dies down …."

" Fine " agreed Hermione," whatever . If it will make all of you happy, then I will gladly give that daft dimbo wide berth "

" Yes " chorused her friends at the table.

" Now that this illuminating conversation is over ," says Hermione ," I am going for a walk …I will see you guys later "

" Ginny and I are going to be hanging out in the common room with Neville and Luna later ," added Harry ," you should join us "

" Lovely " says Hermione ," so I will be the third wheel ..maybe later "

Harry started to protest but Ginny silenced him with a look. " Let her be "

Hermione waved and left the Great Hall and Harry looked with confusion at his girlfriend .

" I would have thought she would have been overjoyed that Ron got rid of Lavender "

Ginny reached for his hand to hold. " She probably is secretly to herself , Harry , but knowing Hermione , I am sure she is still processing everything "

" What is there to process, Gin ? Seriously, she's been wearing her heart on her sleeve since whatever happened or didn't happen between her and Ron at the battle of the Ministry ," said a frustrated Harry ," Hermione should be dancing . I was doing the damn congo in my mind when I heard you and Dean split up…. "

Ginny pressed her lips to his, kissing him, warmly. " That never gets old "

Harry grinned like a fool. " No, it really doesn't , Ginny "

He paused to reconsider ," I just want them to stop fighting or whatever it is they are doing now and get on with it, you know "

" They are both stubborn and passionate " agreed Ginny ," but lets see if maybe we can help nudge them a bit in each others directions if my moron of a brother doesn't make a move on Hermione first …."

" I haven't even seen Ron since this morning …" commented Harry .

Meanwhile Ron was staring at the frozen lake below and wondering what was the best way to approach Hermione . He had seen her several times in the common yesterday but she had barely spoken and things still felt really tense between them.

Harry swore that she knew about him chucking Lavender so it wasn't as if she hadn't heard the news. It was all over the school and some Slytherins had even given him some fresh hell over dumping a fine girl like Lavender .

Ron didn't regret his actions but he didn't know how to proceed either .

They needed a guide or a book on how to handle witches you liked .

He felt another presence and then the soft sweet scent of roses from the perfume he had given her for Christmas assaulted his senses and Ron found that it was Hermione .

" Mione , hi " smiled Ron, blue eyes meeting the depths of her brown eyes ," I was, uh, just thinking about you "

Hermione stopped and nodded, politely. " I'm sorry about you and Lavender "

" I hope not ," stammered Ron , moving closer to her ," I mean, I was kind of hoping you would be happy I got rid of her ….I should have earlier "

" It isn't any of my business ," says Hermione, coolly, " I ..I don't have an opinion one way or the other , Ron "

Which was a bald-faced lie but she wasn't about to admit that to him.

" That isn't like the Hermione that I know ….." teased Ron," she would have told me exactly what she thought of …..things "

" I think it is best if we not get involved in each others love lives as it was, Ron "

" Your still mad at me then ?' realized Ron, trying to read her .

" No ," says Hermione , not quite meeting his adoring gaze that had her knees trembling ," and I ..I still think its pointless for us to discuss it. I would feel more comfortable if you shared this with Harry …..seeing as Lavender and I are hardly friends "

" I hurt you " brought up Ron, quietly ," when I hooked up with her instead of you . "

" You could hardly hurt me, Ronald, when there hasn't ever been anything more between us ," says Hermione , the words feeling wrong on her tongue ," I suppose I got caught up in ….the romance …the idea of it…I was fragile after the ministry and I mistook you ..you holding me for something else "

Ron grasped out , hands on her shoulders and longing for her to read what he was so openly trying to show her .

" We've never just been …friends, Mione ," whispered Ron," and I ..I didn't know what the hell I was doing that night but you were hurt. Holding you like that , holding you in my arms felt so right ….."

The air whooshed out of her lungs at his confession and his touch was like magic.

" You just broke up with your girlfriend a day ago , Ron ," Hermione managed to find her voice ," you shouldn't be saying these things to me. It isn't right …..you clearly are still reeling from the break up and I wouldn't want you to say things to me that will make our friend ship more awkward …..please, stop "

" I'm not reeling from anything ," stated Ron ," I'm being truthful to you "

" You need time , Ron, to get over Lavender " Hermione moved from his loose embrace," and whatever is making you say these things to me, umm, I meant what I said the other day. I know you sometimes don't always grasp things right off but I refuse to be the rebound girl …..please don't keep saying these things to me "

" What the bloody hell is a rebound ? Hermione, I know I have been a git and a prat but I know exactly what I am saying to you. I am not lying about how I feel for you "

" I think you just enjoyed having a girlfriend, Ron "

" I only went for her because of you and Krum ," admitted Ron, ashamed ," okay, it was fun and all for awhile but it wasn't real. It ..she could never be ..you "

Why did he have to be maddening and sweet all of the sudden ?

" Please, Ron, stop," pleaded Hermione ," I don't want to hear anymore about this "

" I need for you to believe me, Hermione ," implored Ron, brushing a loose curl from the side of her face ," its too important for you not to believe me, love "

Her lips quivered and she struggled with her own feelings for him . " Don't "

" Not telling you got me in this bloody mess in the first place " replied Ron," so I'm done with avoiding it and us. There is an us, Hermione "

" This is too soon, Ron ," declared Hermione , afraid she was going to hurtle herself into his arm and kiss him like she had dreamed of doing forever ," I need to think "

He lifted her hand and pressed a kiss to her wrist ." You think too much, Mione "

" Someone has too ," whispered Hermione ," this is craziness"

" I wont rush you then ," Ron stepped back , being the gentleman that he was raised to be ," I reckon I owe you that much, sweetheart . I want to be with you, and I know you have feelings for me too so I guess that means I need to start showing you I fancy you "

" Fancy ..me "

" Since Third year I reckon though I didn't dare admit it to anyone ," conceded Ron ," when you held onto me for dear life when they chopped off Buck beat's head and I really liked it . Specially since you held onto me, not Harry "

Hermione couldn't even find the words ," Third year "

He was sheepish ." Plus you were really attractive when you punched Malfoy "

She felt color rise in her cheeks and couldn't prevent the tiny smile from winding around the edges of her mouth. " I feel safe when you hold me , Ron "

" Isn't this all interesting ," conceded Lavender ," a Lovers moment so soon ? You certainly don't waste anytime , Won Won, or was this little tramp seduce you into dumping me ? Is that how it was planned out ? "

" Ronald and I aren't lovers " spat out Hermione ," and this is none of your business "

" This is a private conversation ,Lavender ," Ron stepped forward ," please don't cause a scene . I never cheated on you when we were together . I just wasn't honest about my feelings so you can take that out on me but not her "

" Snogging Granger the day after you chucked me like a broken piece of glass ," said an enraged Lavender ," you will regret choosing her over me "

" I wasn't snogging her ," corrected Ron, feeling his anger flare up ," we were talking "

" Right , you would save the snogging for later " tossed out Lavender," though I don't see the attraction. You know Granger is too much of a good girl to let you touch her …..and I know what an ardent lover you are , Ron "

Hurt flashed in Hermione 's brown eyes and she turned away from them, hiding it .

She didn't want to believe that Ron had slept with Lavender as if it somehow would taint things or perhaps it was more of the hurt and her spinning emotions .

Hermione was beginning to think her bloody feelings were clouding everything these days . Usually her resolve was so much stronger .

" Stop acting like a scarlet woman, Lavender ," accused Ron," I don't find it attractive. "

" I hate you, Ron " Lavender slapped him," I hate you ! You will see how much you miss me , miss us ! Soon you will realize your mistake and come crawling back to me begging for my forgiveness …..I know this "

" I think you should just go now, Lavender " stated Ron , softly .

With tears shimmering along her lashes, his ex-girlfriend ran away from him and Hermione , much to his relief. He made a move and simply pulled Hermione in his arms, just holding her and felt her shiver as their eyes locked and held.

" How could you ..date such a vile girl, Ron ? I don't understand it at all "

" It was chemical " mouthed Ron, aware of her chest soft against his and the feel of her curls tickling his neck ," and your shaking "

" I am trying very hard not to stupefy her into the lake " murmured Hermione, honestly.

Ron chuckled ," That's my Mione "

" I need to think about this ," says Hermione , very softly ," about us, Ron . You do understand why I need to be sure ? I ..I leaped and you went for another girl…I need some time to figure this out now .."

" I can do that I suppose ," agreed Ron ," but I am still gonna court you , Hermione "

She nodded ," Let go, Ronald "

Hermione moved out of his arms, feeling bereft and a bit cold away from him.

Ron pressed a kiss on her forehead ," Believe me "

" I want to ..more than you could ever know, Ron ," muttered Hermione , softly.

Luna let out a dreamy sigh and watched as Hermione walked away from Ron .

" That was lovely " murmured Luna ," she wants to believe him, you know "

" Lun, I really don't think we should have been spying on them " said Neville ," I feel like we invaded their privacy or something . I mean, I would be a bit embarrassed if one of our friends caught us snogging or something .personal "

Luna leaned in to kiss him, tenderly. " Well, I was merely checking their auras and we needn't tell them we were watching them, Neville "

" So their auras ," inquired a curious Neville, despite his own reservations ," better now "

" Hermione's is still clouded a bit ," answered Luna ," and Ron's is surprisingly clear. He is focused on Hermione ….like you are on me, Neville "

" Cool " Neville took her hand ," come on, lets get inside . We stay out her much longer and we will both turn into icicles , Luna "

" I don't think it is cold enough to do that " muttered Luna as they headed for the common room and their friends .," though it might be a fascinating test "

" Your funny, Luna " Neville said, affectionately ," but I don't think we should "

Draco Malfoy stepped out from behind a pillar and a pleased expression crossed his face.

His task was going to be much more easier since Potter was hooking up with the Weasley girl, the Weasel was busy groveling to the Mud blood , and even Loony and Lovegood were preoccupied in their own pathetic love lives .

Things were finally going to go his way and he wouldn't have to worry as much .

He nodded at McLaggen who had missed the touching scene earlier involving Granger and Weasley and headed down to the Slytherin dungeons .

Cormac had decided a different approach would be more suitable with Granger - she was too independent thinking of a witch for her own good. He had no doubt this would be a plus in the bedroom but he would have to mold her to his liking first .

Take the time to make things work in his favor and help Lavender in the process .

He knew exactly what his first move would be and Hermione would be none the wiser .


	22. Chapter 23

Ginny enjoyed gossip as much as the next girl but enough was enough.

Rumors of the vapid and horrid , not to mention, untrue had already started circulating around Hogwarts about Ron and Hermione and the sordid break up of her brother and Lavender. She had already corrected several Hufflepuff girls on the shagging rumor and was quite pissed as she made her way back to the common room and Harry.

She stopped into the loo to run a brush through her hair and had the unfortunate meeting of Romilda Vane and her entourage of the popular girls. For the most part, Gin did her best to ignore them but she couldn't help but to overhear them in the close proximity .

" Obviously Harry is with her because of convenience ," put forth Romilda as she applied the glossy red lip-gloss ," and accessibility. She is his best mates sister, after all "

" There isn't anything convenient when it comes to my relationship with Harry ," Ginny reared on her ," not that it is any of your business. Harry is with me , Romilda"

" For now ," Romilda lifted a brow," I have seen him watching me "

" In your imagination, I am sure ,' scoffed Ginny ," and you shouldn't get your hopes up. Even if we weren't together, your not the sort of girl Harry is interested in "

" You don't own him, Ginny Weasley "

" That's right, I don't ," shot back Ginny," but I know him better than you ever will so you can trust me on that. I love Harry Potter and you don't stand a chance "

Not giving the girl time to respond , Ginny walked out of the loo and headed towards the common room, thinking of something that would really give the gossips something to talk about . Something really good but she wanted to run it by Harry first.

He embarrassed easier than she did .

Ginny stepped into the common and heard the guys voices bantering back and forth .

" I don't like to kiss and tell ," Harry was saying ," I have to think of Ginny's reputation and my own. Not to mention we're still new and I have some hope that Dean will forgive me eventually and we can be friends again ….."

" Dean's getting over his mad ," said Seamus ," and its not like we would be repeating it like girls do. Haven't I told you all about how bloody hot of a kisser Parvart is ? Makes me go mad ….just saying you never shared when you were snogging Cho so figured it wasn't that great to begin with …"

" Don't start about Cho ," protested Harry ," she's always fragile . We are still friends and if you told Parvarti something I said it would hurt her feelings ….."

" All the more reason for you to spill the beans about you and Ginny," urged Seamus ," Weasley isn't here so he cant kick my arse for asking . The girl is a spitfire . "

Harry couldn't hide a grin." She's fiery, alright "

" For not kissing and telling, Harry potter ," teased Ginny ," I kind of think that is what you men are doing right now ..unless it's a different definition "

" Well, gotta go find my girlfriend " said Seamus, blowing past the couple.

" Ginny " Harry pulled her onto his lap ," your late . I'm sorry about that…Seamus was being a git …like normal but I didn't tell him anything "

Ginny pressed her lips to his in a deep kiss , holding him tight around the neck .

" Good because I may ," Ginny toyed with the edge of his tee shirt with her fingers ," Hermione was right . That imbecilic slut Romilda is after you….the bloody bint ….she makes me so angry I might start our own rumor about our love life "

Harry nuzzled her neck ." Hmm, just don't let it get back to Ron "

She ran her fingers through his inky hair and met him kiss for kiss .

She couldn't get enough of being held and kissed by him . " I can handle my brother ," murmured Ginny," so I was thinking about spreading the word you have a dragon tattoo on your back since you were in the Tri-Wizard tournament and all "

" Very manly ….cool " Harry pulled her closer ," your skin is so soft , Gin "

" You wouldn't mind ?" questioned Ginny, distracted by his ministrations on her skin .

Harry moved his hands down her back, caressing and causing her to sigh .

" No " He kissed the underside of her jaw ," we don't spend enough alone time together "

Her toffee colored eyes widened ," I know you are doing something ..important , Harry , for Dumbledore . I don't want to ..get in your way "

" You could never be in my way " Harry sent her a tender look ," I .I wish we could ..would have started us over the summer …"

" There isn't any sense of looking back, Harry " Ginny pushed the frames of his glasses on his face, carefully ," we're together now. "

" You keep me grounded , Gin " admitted Harry " I think you always have "

She traced patterns against his chest. " Why are you so serious ?"

He shrugged ," I don't know…I just feel like you're the only thing I've gotten right "

Ginny kissed him, desperately ." I love you "

She stilled and felt him go still …and panic settled into her chest with dread.

Dammit , it was too soon!

What the hell had she been thinking ? Oh right , she wasn't ..she just blurted it out .

" Ginny …." Harry gazed at her, all manner of emotions reflecting in his eyes .

" You don't have to say it back," rushed Ginny ," I ..I know its probably too soon and your not ready so I understand . I just…I needed to say it to you "

He set his mouth on hers, kissing her ever so tenderly ." I care soo much about you, Ginny ," confessed Harry ," you have to know that . "

" I know, Harry ," Ginny clasped his hand ," it's fine . Really it is and we've only just begun dating ….you needn't feel rushed . I'm not going to up and chuck you because you didn't say the words back….I can wait "

" Good " Harry kissed her and all was forgotten except one another until the sounds of Luna and Neville interrupted them from their bliss of making out .

" Hannah was flirting with you " accused Luna in a calm manner .

Neville tried to take her hand but she sidestepped her boyfriend to sit on the floor.

He let out a groan and wondered how this had happened .

" Lun, we were discussing herbablogy ," explained Neville ," not everyone understands the subject. Her last mark was poor so I offered to help her …"

" Which was very sweet of you, Neville ," Luna played with the charms on her corkscrew necklace ," and she was very much flirting with you. I saw her "

" Luna," Neville plopped down beside her ," that is absurd "

" Phish ! She finds you all handsome and fanciable since we're dating now , Neville "

Neville sent a pleading look to Harry as if to say 'help me out here, mate "

Neville placed an arm around her shoulders and felt her relax, slightly. " Luna "

Ginny kissed Harry soundly and promptly jumped right in to help her friends , much to the amusement of her own boyfriend .

" Hannah put the moves on Neville , Luna ? " inquired a curious Ginny

Harry groaned , under his breath. " GINNY ! Alone time here , please "

She kissed his jaw." After we help our friends out , Harry "

" She told him that she was impressed with his planting skills ," pointed out Luna, her tone hurt ," and touched his arm. He naturally offered to be sweet and help her "

" I've helped girls out before in class ," said a baffled Neville ," Hermione "

" Hermione isn't after you , Neville " argued Luna ," that girl clearly wants you "

" Wait a second ," chimed in Harry ," Luna, are you jealous of Hannah Abbott ?"

" I love Neville so why shouldn't I be ? " answered Luna, truthfully .

Ginny covered her mouth with her hands in surprise and delight ," Oh ! "

Neville removed his arms , then taking her hands into his, he gave them a squeeze and knew this was important in their relationship.

Their first actual fight, the first time ever Luna had expressed jealousy .

" Luna, love, I'm really happy your jealous but I promise I only want you "

Luna's violet eyes melted and so did she. " I have never been so angry before ," muttered Luna, winding her arms around his neck," I don't much care for the feeling "

" You've nothing to worry about ," stated Neville ," I am mad about you, Luna "

" Reckon even I can be a bit silly , Neville , but I love you so much "

Their lips melded into a sweet kiss that went on and on in the quiet common room.

" We really need to find more privacy " commented Harry, running his fingers through her hair ," I feel bit weird like we're spying on those two "

" I don't think neither of them mind much " Ginny nibbled on his lips ," and besides while those two are occupied , doubt they are aware of us "

He caught her lips, as he moved his persuasively over hers and just felt . She made him feel so much-real, warm, and alive and himself . In his world of chaos and danger at every single turn, he couldn't risk voicing out loud his real feelings for her .

Harry wouldn't put this new love , put Ginny at even more risk.

He clung to her , loving her warmth and heat and nearness , with a selfishness of a man who knew his destiny was dangerous and closer than he cared to think about .

No matter what the future held or what might happen, Harry needed his time to be with Ginny and be happy like his own personal lifeline .

He felt her touch against his skin and felt her gaze upon him." Harry "

" Where did you go ? You stopped kissing me for a second there ..are you alright ?"

He held her closer and rested her chin on her shoulder ." Your so special to me , Ginny "

" Are you going to desert me for something noble and dangerous at this moment ?" Ginny tried to make light of it but his words chilled her to the core .

" No , " answered Harry ," I just wanted you to know how much you mean to me "

Ginny kissed his scar. " How about we find that private room I was talking about ?"

" Sounds wonderful " Harry kissed her with abandon .

" Bloody hell ! Bloody hell , cant I go anywhere without finding my best mate with his hands all over my sister and my other friends snogging each other in the open "

Harry grinned and helped Ginny up." My girlfriend and I were just leaving "

" I want to talk about Hermione ….." trailed off Ron ," I made progress "

" Make some more progress, brother dear " taunted Ginny," you might as well get used to me and Harry snogging . It's nothing to be embarrassed by…..you prat "

Ron made a face at her ." Whatever , sis . I'm fine with you two, mostly "

Harry clapped a hand on his best mates back." Whatever your doing with Hermione, you don't need me . Just keep on showing her how you feel, Ron "

A small , tender expression crossed Ron's face ." Lavender is a problem "

" Don't let her be " stated Harry ," come on, Gin, I know about the place "

Ginny wrapped her arms around Harry's neck and he gave her a tug, making her laugh .

" Come on, Harry , before more interruptions occur to ruin the mood "

Harry took her hand into his and with a sheepish grin to Ron, they ran off together .

Ron shrugged ," At least Harry and Ginny are happy "

Luna lifted her gaze from Neville . " I don't trust Cormac round Hermione "

" Mc laggen ? What do you mean, Luna ?" inquired Ron , trying to ignore the fact that Luna was sitting on top of Neville's lap and he felt awkward .

" I have a bad feeling is all " stated Luna ," just protect her , Ron "

" I will "

" Come along, Neville ,' Luna kissed his cheek ," nobody is ever in the Raven claw common room . I feel incredibly close to you right now , my man "

Neville grinned , foolishly ." Anything you say, Luna "

She grabbed his hand and pulled him running out of the room , leaving Ron to shake his head as if to clear it .

" I just really didn't need those images in my head at all " Ron groaned to himself .

At this juncture in the story, Harry and Ginny as well as Luna and Neville are getting closer to one another while Ron tries to fix his jumbled mess of a relationship with Hermione . Will Harry get up the nerve to say I love you or is by not saying the words is he protecting her from Voldermort ?

Is Hannah just a passing incident or is there trouble for Luna and Neville ?

I would love to hear your thoughts on this and more so please help me stay inspired and review . Makes me write faster (;


	23. Chapter 24

Disclaimer : Nope, nada, I still don't own Harry Potter .

Harry 's heart felt like it was leaping from his chest at Ginny's earlier admission of love yet at the same time it was terrifying as no one , let alone a girl, had ever spoken those words to him. He felt so much for the spirited redhead but was afraid to say the words.

He needed a girls take on this and so he tracked Hermione down after class .

" Hermione, can I talk to you about something, er, private ?"

She stopped and fell in step with him. " Of course, Harry, is it about ..Voldermort ?"

" No," Harry took her arm and guided her to an empty corridor ," actually its about me and Ginny . I sort of ..that is she said that she loves me , Hermione "

" Harry ," Hermione threw her arms around his neck, hugging him," that is just wonderful ! "

Harry smiled, lightly, and nodded ." It's amazing actually "

" So, what is the matter ? You and Ginny have only been dating for a few weeks "

" That's just it ," replied Harry ," I care so much about her. I don't think that I have ever felt this happy , Hermione , but if I say the words back and he picks that from my mind , it puts Ginny in harm. I'm probably doing that now and I shouldn't be so selfish but I cant bear to ..not be with her "

" Did you tell Ginny that ? She knows the situation, Harry, and I am sure she isn't going to be forcing you to respond back " explained Hermione ," Gin wouldn't do that "

" Ginny said she was fine with it ," shrugged Harry ," I just don't want to wreck it "

Hermione squeezed his wrist," I think I can safely assure you that Ginny hasn't any intention of walking away from you, Harry "

His eyes lit up with happiness ." Wonderful and Dean hasn't murdered me in my sleep "

Hermione couldn't help but laugh. " Dean isn't a bad guy, Harry . "

" I know that , Hermione, but its still awkward at times " admitted Harry, ruefully .

He paused ," Have you forgiven Ron yet ?"

" I don't know how I feel about Ronald ," says Hermione , her lips in a thin line ," one minute he is being a complete prat that I don't know then he is ..clever and sweet "

" He is mad about you, Hermione "

" So he keeps telling me but I just don't know if I can trust my heart to him, Harry "

" Ron would never hurt you, Hermione . This whole Lavender thing was just .. ..a mistake only he could make " Harry ventured ," you make him mental , you know "

Hermione's lips curved into a tiny smile ." He is maddening "

" All the more reason the two of you are perfect for each other " taunted Harry

She sent him an unbelievable look." Matchmaking, Harry ? Seriously ? "

He couldn't help but flash her a cocky grin ," Might as well at this point , you and Ron are making me mental enough as it is . Bit tiring it is , you know "

" Sorry " says Hermione ," I don't know what I feel about Ron but ….he is being ..um, rather romantic . Bit confusing and …..unexpected " She blushed , prettily .

" Thank Merlin for that " grinned Harry , under his breath," bout damn time "

" Now other than wanting me to help advise you on your relationship with Ginny ," Hermione grew serious ," have you made any progress getting the memory from Slug horn ? I am sure Dumbledore expected you to have gotten it by now ….."

Harry was sheepish." I've tried ..don't give me that look, Hermione . I have tried to get it but Slughorn doesn't trust me ….he usually runs the other way lately "

" You need to try harder, Harry " urged Hermione , quietly .

" Don't you think that I know that , Hermione ? I do and I am. I will just have to think of another way , maybe a different way . Maybe Ginny can help me with it "

The bell sounded and the two friends parted to go to their separate classes .

Luna was thoughtful as she sat in professor Flitwick's Charms class , only half listening to the lesson while she paid close attention to the conversation that Hannah Abbott was having with Padma Patil . She had accidentally overhead Hannah mention Neville and though she trusted her boyfriend, her instincts told her that the quiet girl was trouble .

" I know Neville is a bit clumsy but he's a Gryffindor and he's very sweet " said Hannah

" Yes, Neville is a nice enough bloke, Hannah but you know he's been dating Loony Lovegood for quite a while now " added Padma ," I think you should consider Dean Thomas now that he is available . He's handsome as sin and funny too "

" I'm not attracted to Dean," whispered Hannah ," and I know I shouldn't be to Neville but the truth is that I like him. It wouldn't hurt to test the waters a bit …..see if he is interested back. It wouldn't be like I'd be trying to break him and Luna up…"

Padma frowned ," That isn't like you, Hannah . I don't think that you should "

" I just need to find out for myself ," said Hannah, softly ," its not as if Neville has dated much anyways . I mean , he and Ginny are nothing more than friends . Those rumors of them going out years ago weren't true …and who can really know if he and Luna are serious "

" Luna ," Ginny nudged her friend ," are the Nargles messing with you ? You look kind of out of it for a minute ….are you alright ?"

Luna nodded her head ," Bit distracted with Hannah plotting to go for my Neville "

Ginny sent her a confused look." Luna, that is silly ," told a confident Ginny, who hadn't been listening to the conversation going on behind them ," You've nothing to worry about with Neville . He adores you and he told you as much …."

" I know ," Luna's voice was very soft ," its quite bothersome that I feel this way . I suppose its because Neville is the first boy I have loved …I don't much like this jealousy but it wont seem to go away on me "

" Try dating Harry Potter ," commented a glib Ginny ," half the girls in this school want to dose him with love potions and don't care that we're dating . "

" Miss . Weasley, Miss. Love good ," called out Flit wick ," would you ladies care to share your discussion with the rest of the class ?"

The girls exchanged dubious looks and shook their heads no and resumed actually listening . Neither of them wanted detention with .

Hannah hid her smile and decided though she had nothing against the strange girl , she wanted to continue her advances with Neville Long bottom .

She would never know if the sparks were just one sided if she didn't try .

Luna glanced back and caught her eye, sending her a weary eye .

Hannah sent the blonde a pleasant smile and told herself she wasn't a mean girl .

" Hermione " Cormac waited outside of the classroom, falling in step with her ," now that classes are over for the day, how about we take a nice walk . You and I "

Hermione clutched her books to her chest, uncomfortable with his presence .

" Cormack ," reacted Hermione , nervously," honestly, your wasting your time pursuing me. We have nothing in common …and I truly meant what I said earlier "

He grabbed her elbow , tightly ." Right , you just need a real man to treat you right "

" Let go of me," says Hermione, wrenching her elbow from his grasp ," I said no such thing . Really, Cormac, why cant you get it through your head, I am not interested in you in the slightest "

He tensed and grasped her shoulders , his mouth crashing down on hers in a kiss .

Hermione tried to pull away from the kiss, biting his lip before strong arms grabbed her and removed her from Mc laggen's hold .

" Ron " Hermione knew it was him before even turning around .

" Are you alright, Mione ?" asked Ron, searching her face for signs of hurt .

" I'm fine , Ron ," muttered Hermione but found that she was a bit shaky .

Ron's features darkened across his face as he glared at his nemesis . It didn't matter than Cormac might lightly best him in a fight , the bastard put his hands on his woman .

No one touched Mione .

" Mind your own business, Weasley ," warned Cormac, unphased ," this was a private moment between Granger and myself …. A lovers spat if you will "

" We're not together , you filthy swine " retorted Hermione, hugging herself .

" I do adore your spirit , Hermione " grinned cormac, wiping the blood from where she had bit him," it's quite fetching on you. "

" Go to hell " muttered Hermione ," go find another girl to snog . I don't want you "

Cormac chuckled, amused as he rolled his eyes, upwards . " We will see about that "

Ron got in his face , anger radiating off of him in waves and cormac stepped back.

" If I catch you so much as looking at Hermione again, McLaggen, I will kill you myself "

" I'm not frightened of you, weasley ," laughed an amused Cormack ," bit envious that you shagged Lavender , truthfully, but stay out of my business "

He walked around Ron and disappeared around the corridor , leaving Ron alone with her .

" That bloody arsehole ," swore Ron ," I warned him once, I did . How does he even know your schedule, Mione ? Why can the find a loose Slytherin to grope , not you "

" It's a bit of my own fault ," confessed Hermione ," I never should have asked him to go with me to Slughorns Christmas party . He thinks I fancy him now ….."

" No, you shouldn't have ," agreed Ron ," why did you , anyway ?"

Hermione tried to avert his gaze , shamefully ." I thought you would hate it "

" You got that right ," Ron stepped closer, getting braver with his feelings for her ," so , maybe I should walk with you to your next class …"

" Ronald …." says Hermione , losing herself in his intense gaze that nearly made her swoon ," this ..your not giving me a chance to think "

" thinking is what got us in this mess, Mione ," admitted Ron," I think we both think too much about ..about us . Besides McLaggen wont try anything with you if I am with you…"

" I can take care of myself , as you well know, Ronald "

Ron reached to twine their fingers together ." I know that but couldn't hurt "

" I don't want people gossiping about us, Ron " murmured Hermione , softly .

" That would just be Lavender and her friends ," assured Ron,' none of our friends would mind that our relationship ..has changed , love "

" Don't , Ron ," Hermione looked at their entwined hands and though it felt right , she was still a mess inside ," don't call me something you told her not ..weeks ago "

" I never told lavender that ," swore Ron, passionately ," I wouldn't cause I didn't "

" I have to be sure …and right now your confusing me too much, Ronald "

He squeezed her hand ," I don't want to piss you off again, sweetheart , even though there is nothing sexier than watching you mad at me "

Ron grinned when color rose against her cheeks at the unexpected compliment .

" Do you know how many times over the summer I wanted to kiss you ? If my family hadn't kept popping up, I would have kissed you dozens of time "

For once , Hermione was rendered speechless , unable to process his admission .

" It's true but I knew you were worried about Harry and so was I ," went on Ron, unable to stop ," and wasn't sure if you wouldn't hit me if I did snog you "

Hermione threw her arms around his neck and hugged him, tightly , taking in the warmth of his embrace. " I'll talk to you later , Ron. I don't want to be late to class …bye "

" Hermione , wait " called Ron but she was off , brown hair flying behind her .

" Isn't her class the other way ?" inquired Harry, joining his friends side .

" Yeah," Ron rubbed his chin, thoughtful," I'm getting to her , Harry . "

Harry grinned ," Good for you . Wanna go follow Malfoy with me ? I checked the map and he isn't in class..we could skip and see what he's up to "

" I doubt he's up to anything, mate ," told Ron," probably shagging Pansy . Not a vision I want to think about …..but we could go down to the kitchens for some food "

" Thanks for the support, Ron ," said a sarcastic Harry ," I know I'm right on this "

" Fine ," agreed Ron," I'll go with you but I want to know about you and my sister "

Harry shot him a look. " I thought you didn't want to know about me and Gin "

" I changed my mind " retorted Ron," don't be groping her in public "

" I wasn't groping her ," argued Harry ," we were snogging . "

" In the common , Harry ," Ron feigned outraged ," where everyone can see you "

" You know I respect and care for Ginny, you idiot ," remarked Harry ," wish you would hurry up and set things right with Hermione so you can bugger off about this "

Ron made a face at his best mate ." Hermione is barking mad "

" Your mental too ," teased Harry ," hurry up wooing her or whatever it is your doing "

" I thought we were going to find malfoy …" Ron changed the subject .

" You brought up my love life ," pointed out Harry ," I was evening the score "

" Maybe we should figure out what we can talk about ..you know , without too much private stuff with the girls and all " decided Ron, " so we don't kill each other "

" Good idea , brilliant ," Harry took out his map," he's going outside .Lets go "

Luna found her boyfriend during study hall and launched herself into his arms, surprising him and their friends . Though the couple was affectionate , this display was new .

" Neville , I have missed you this afternoon " admitted Luna, kissing his cheek .

Neville smiled , tenderly, and urged her to sit on the bench with him.

" I missed you too " said Neville ," I thought you were helping Hagrid this period "

" Oh, I am ," explained Luna ," I just felt as if I needed to see you first "

" Your sweet , Luna " said Neville , taking her hand ," but if McGonagall notices us , we're both going to get detention . You should go help Hagrid and I'll see you during dinner …."

Luna touched his cheek, cupping it in her hand ." I do love you , Neville "

He colored and sent her a loving smile in return ." I love you too, Lun "

" I trust you but I have a bad feeling " says Luna in a mysterious tone ," it hasn't gone away like I had hoped . I thought you should know ….."

" Your probably picking up vibes from Harry or Ron and Hermione ," dismissed Neville ,unconcerned ," that has nothing to do with you and me "

" I don't think so…..I can tell the difference " says Luna ," save me some pudding later "

" Luna '

Luna ignored the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach as she passed Hannah .

" Trouble in paradise , Long bottom ?" snickered Seamus , unable to resist .

" No " tossed back Neville , sitting back down in his seat as Hannah approached him.

The pretty girl slid across from him and her face lit up with delight as she looked at him.

" Neville , just the bloke I was looking for ," Hannah reached across to touch his arm," could you be a sweetheart and explain to me how plants will help me in the future ?'

" Uh, sure ," agreed Neville , ignoring the ping across the table ," glad to help "

Hannah turned up the wattage of her smile and knew she stood a chance .


	24. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: I still do not own Harry Potter . I am just playing in JKR's world .

Ron and Harry sat beside each other in Slughorn's class, half hazardly preparing a potion and discussing the latest developments in hushed undertones , thanks to the Muffilato spell. Hermione was on the other side of the table, absorbed in her own work .

" So, how are you and my sister ? " asked Ron, casually .

Harry tried to read an inscription along the edge of the half blood princes book but the ink was smeared . He cursed, inwardly and glanced at his best mate.

" Fine ," answered Harry," I mean, Ginny and I are good "

" That's good " replied Ron , awkwardly .

" I didn't think you wanted to know about me and Ginny " brought up Harry

" Not all of the details or anything ," stated Ron ," reckon I can tolerate you two snogging . I mean, your way better for my sister than that Michael Corner ever was …"

Harry made a face at him. " Thanks for that, Ron " said a sarcastic Harry ," I noticed Hermione has stopped giving you the cold shoulder finally "

" We established that there is an us with me and her " added Ron, glancing up to catch her eye. Her brown eyes caught his gaze and held, pink tinting her cheeks , prettily.

" Bout damn time ….you two are maddening to watch " this was from Seamus , who had stepped back from his cauldron., in case, it blew up .

He had a natural ability , always had, when it came to causing explosions , regularly.

" Stay out of it, Seamus " tossed out a good natured Ron as Lavender passed by him .

Her perfume was cloying and he made a face, which she noticed .

" You didn't seem to mind my perfume, Ron," hissed Lavender, in his ear ," when I was pressed against you and we were …snogging . If I recall, you liked it very much "

" Lavender ! We're in class ," whispered an embarrassed Ron ," you can hate me after class and all. No need to air our dirty laundry in front of Slughorn and everyone …."

" Oh, I don't mind ," sneered Lavender ," especially since it's the perfume that you special ordered for me as my Christmas present . Or have you forgotten already ?"

" Can we please just hash this out after class ?" Ron tried once more , noticing that Hermione watched them intently. Hurt evident in the depths of her chocolate orbs .

" Privately " murmured Lavender , in a soft tone of voice .

" Sure " agreed Ron, eager to shut his ex-girlfriend up," right after class is over "

"Weatherly, " interrupted Professor Slug horn ," Miss. Brown, is there a problem ?"

" No, Sir ," spoke up Lavender ," I just had a question for Ron "

Pleased with herself, Lavender took her seat besides Parvarti and Katie Bell .

Hermione sent Ron a tentative smile and finished up the last of her work .

It wouldn't bother her, she wouldn't let it bother her that Ron still talked with Lavender .

They had dated quite a while and even though they had broken up, there was no law that said he couldn't still be pleasant with the stupid bimbo .

She and Victor were still friends .

" It doesn't mean anything, Hermione , so don't get offended " muttered Harry, quietly.

Hermione straightened ." I don't know what you mean, Harry "

He grinned , not believing her . His best friends were completely mental .

The bell sounded that class was over and everyone collected their belongings and filed out the door as fast as their feet could take them . Harry had a free period so he intended to do a quick search for Malfoy's whereabouts on the map before meeting Ginny up in the Astronomy Tower for some alone time .

" Are you going to wait for Ron ?" Harry grabbed hold of Hermione's wrist .

" No," says Hermione ," I am meeting Luna in the library. Ronald has plans to ..talk with his ex-girlfriend , Harry, as if you didn't already know and I don't care to be caught up in the middle of it again. It is bad enough I have to share a dorm with Lavender "

" Don't be mad at him again " warned Harry ," that gets exhausting for us all , Hermione "

Hermione frowned and turned to head down the hallway. " I am not mad "

Not sure if he believed her or not, Harry followed in the same direction as Ron waited by the door for his ex-girlfriend. Lavender had taken her time , wanting to prolong his wait .

Ron paced back and forth, causing his friends and classmates to send him odd looks .

He chose to ignore them .

" Ron " Lavender took his arm ," thank you for waiting for me . "

They began to walk the hallway, heading towards the Gryffindor common room .

" We broke up," Ron jumped right in," I get that your still hating my guts . I hurt you and I apologized for that, Lavender . I don't know what else you want from me …..do you want to hit me ?"

Lavender turned and pressed herself tightly against his body and wrapping her arms around him. " I want you to reconsider ," Lavender's voice was seductive in his ear as she trailed her fingers down his arm ," we were good together, Won Won "

He extracted himself from her grasp , putting distance between them .

" I'm in love with Hermione " stated Ron," that isn't going to change "

Lavender moved towards him, , almost gliding in a provocative manner .

" So you keep telling me ," said Lavender ," but I don't see her running into your arms anytime soon, Ron. A goody goody like Hermione ….that's the last thing she will do and considering how intimate our relationship is, well, I know you will be terribly disappointed with Granger "

" We weren't that intimate …" defended a flustered Ron ," cant you just hate my guts , Lav ? I mean, it would be less painful for the both of us in the long run…"

" You..you crushed my heart ! " Lavender was outraged .

" Which is why I am a prat ," decided Ron," half the blokes in this school would kill to be with you, Lavender . You don't really want to be with me …and whatever this is , I still love Hermione . Might take weeks to make her believe it but she will so you might as well get it out of your head about you and me ever getting back together , Lav '

" You will regret rejecting me again, Won Won " told Lavender, darkly .

She turned on her heel and stormed off in a rage , which she was good at.

Ron was shaking his head at his lack of luck with women when he ran into Neville and Hannah, talking rather , excitedly . He paused and stopped to look at them .

Hannah had a look on her face that Ron recognized easily in girls and it said interested .

Which was mad cause Hannah was a sweet girl and Neville was with Luna .

Unless the whole world had gone mad and then , you never know .

" Hey, Ron," called Neville ,' if you see Luna, could you tell her I've taken a Gurdy root to show Hannah here how we came up with the salve …..she's interested in herbal remedies "

" You want me to ," Ron paused for affect ," tell your girlfriend that your taking another girl to see the medicine you two made together ?"

" Luna will understand " replied an oblivious Neville , calmly . He didn't think there was any harm in it and it was fascinating that another person beside him and Luna would be interested in herbal medicines and such .

" I'll tell her but I cant see that going over too well, mate " told Ron, rubbing his chin.

" Your mad ," decided Neville with a cheeky grin ," Luna knows that I have been helping Hannah . She also knows it will look good on my transcripts ….just tell her I will meet her for supper and that I love her "

Ron's brows shot up. " I am not telling your girlfriend you love her, Neville "

Hannah smiled , softly, at their exchange and placed a hand on Neville's arm .

" We should leave Ron be ," suggested Hannah ," we'd best get to the greenhouse so you can show me what you and Luna created . I wouldn't want to hold you up any longer than necessary, Neville "

" It's no trouble ….no trouble at all " insisted Neville , waving at Ron as he led the pretty girl in the direction of the greenhouse . His friend , he corrected himself, and it didn't matter that Hannah was pretty because he was in love with Luna .

Deciding that love was completely mental and so was he and apparently his friends, Ron forgot about his free period and took off to find Hermione instead .

Harry held Ginny tightly, caressing her back , lightly, as he sunk into the heat and the feelings of their kisses . She made a soft , little sound and moved into his lap and nibbled kisses across the edge of his jaw , making him smile at her .

" Gin," muttered Harry ," I….God, your beautiful "

" I only dreamed of you saying that to me a million times or so " Ginny kissed his scar ," Harry, you seem ..preoccupied . Is it Malfoy or Voldermort that is bothering you?"

" Am I that transparent ?" Harry laughed , dryly , " I was enjoying snogging you "

" Hmm, your tense ," Ginny moved to knead the muscles in his shoulders ," very tense "

" I suppose a bit of both ," admitted Harry ," I know no one seems to believe me about Draco being a Death Eater . I have been trying to find something..some proof but so far…nothing and Slughorn knows more ways to avoid me , I swear its insane "

" It is a bit of a stretch, Harry ," Ginny kissed the side of his neck ," course , Draco is a Malfoy so I suppose it would make a certain amount of sense if he was recruited "

" No one else seems to think so ," choked up Harry ," I..I didn't ..I don't want to involve you in this, Ginny . I still don't but I just ..I need a fresh opinion besides Ron and Hermione…they just think its because I hate Draco "

" Well, you do hate Draco," considered Ginny , carefully ," and he is a coward . However, you have been pretty good on following your instinct, Harry "

Harry rested his forehead against hers . " You are very smart, Ginny Weasley "

He pressed a quick kiss upon her lips . " I..also..like your skin "

Ginny gaped at him, incredulously . " You like my skin, Harry ?"

It was the silliest or quite possibly the sweetest thing she had ever heard or maybe both.

Harry cupped her cheek with the palm of his hand . " Very much so "

Ginny giggled , delighted . " That's nutters ," chuckled an amused and touched Ginny," I needn't worry about me losing you to another girl. That has to be the most lamest thing I do believe you have ever said to me, Harry Potter "

Harry blinked behind his glasses . " I meant it as a compliment, Gin "

" Which is another reason why I love you .." Ginny kissed him, lovingly .

He brushed a hand through her long red tresses , watching the red and golds in the strands

." I miss my parents," Harry said , very quietly ," I would give everything to be able to just talk to them about everything . Tell them about you and about us "

Ginny continued kneading his shoulders, allowing him to just relax and talk .

" Do you think they would approve of me ?' asked Ginny, lightly .

A smile worked its way around Harry's mouth as he considered this question .

Would his Mum and Dad approve of the chooses he had made ?

Of the girl who captured his heart ?

" I know they would , Ginny ," Harry touched his heart ," and I know Sirius would be too . One time when we were at Grimmauld Place , he told me I needed to live a little and find a girl to snog …."

Ginny chuckled and moved to hold him. " Sirius knew I liked you "

" What ..no..how ? What are you talking about , Ginny ?" inquired a curious Harry

" It was during Christmas time ," explained Ginny, sheepishly ," I was a bit distracted by all the attention you were giving Cho during D.A. practice . Imagine I was a bit jealous and I was venting to Hermione about it ..Sirius overheard us "

" Did he say anything ?" questioned Harry , amazed .

" He told me I might need to be the one to do the pursuing " admitted Ginny with a laugh

Harry couldn't help but chuckle. " He said that ..to you about me ?"

" I swear that he did , Harry ," told Ginny," he also said he thought you needed to have a bit more fun rather than worrying about Death Eaters and Voldermort all the time "

" Sirius never said a word to me " Harry shook his head, trying to imagine his godfather giving Ginny romantic advice and grinned ," that's just brilliant "

Ginny moved to sit in his lap and he wrapped his arms around her . " I just thought you might like knowing that, Harry. You meant the world to Sirius .."

" I know ," Harry played with her hands ," and since we're being honest, your brothers know about us . I mean, Fred and George put me on the spot because apparently we were obvious during the holidays. I know how you don't like them knowing your business …"

" I figured as much ," admitted Ginny ," there isn't much that goes on with all of us that we all don't know about . Though Ron still wont tell me the full story of what happened with Charlie and that tart he brought home with him when I was 12 …prats "

Harry laughed ." I'm not touching that one "

" I think Mum is happy we're dating ," replied Ginny ," I wrote her about it a while ago before one of the flaming morons told her something I didn't want her to know. She adores you anyways ….but she's known about my feelings for you for a while now "

" So it's good that all of the important people in our lives know about us "

" Dean spoke to me earlier ," confessed Ginny," it was just a hello but I think he and I can still be friends . He might actually begin to forgive me…Dean isn't a bad guy, you know "

" That would be cool ," acknowledged Harry ," sure be much better than all the death stares he gives me . Bit uncomfortable at times …."

Ginny pressed a lingering kiss across his mouth. " Harry, I hate to have to leave but we've been here awhile. I cant skip Snape's class or he will kill me …"

" I prefer my girlfriend to be alive " Harry caressed her hair," so supper then ?"

" Supper is a date " answered Ginny, climbing off of his lap , kissing him once more, and then making sure that she had her books , she was off to class .

Luna doodled on the parchment , her thoughts far away and couldn't focus on her homework , distracted by the bad feeling in the stomache she had since yesterday .

She knew the healing properties of gilly weed, thanks to Neville and his knowledge .

" Luna ," brought up Hermione , putting her quill down ," are you stuck ?"

" No," answered Luna ," have you ever been jealous of a friend ?"

" Maybe , oh, I don't know ," answered Hermione ," why do you ask ?"

" I believe I am having a bout of jealousy ," told Luna, simply, " I haven't experienced it before but I am quite sure that is what it is happening to me. I don't much care for it…"

Hermione closed her book and gave her friend her full attention .

" I don't understand ," says Hermione ," who are you feeling jealousy ?"

" Hannah Abbott "

" Hannah ," repeated a baffled Hermione ," Hannah is quite nice, Luna . Why on earth would you be jealous about her ? I wasn't even aware you had any classes with her …"

" I know its odd ," conceded Luna ," and we've Charms together . I don't really know her as a friend like you or Ginny but she has never made fun of me but I feel like she is mindful of Neville. He tells me it's silly and I do trust him but I am bothered …"

" I don't much care for being bothered …makes me feel ill "

" Well, I don't actually know if Hannah has really dated anyone ," says Hermione ," and if she bothers you then just be polite. I would suggest having a word with Neville ….rather than act rash and horrid like I did the entire time Ron was with Lavender "

" Neville knows how I feel," brought up Luna ," and I believe he loves me "

" Then as someone who reacted rather stupidly , Luna ," says a mindful Hermione ," please, don't do what I did . It certainly wont help you and Neville ….maybe just keep an eye out on Hannah if you don't trust her "

Luna twirled the charm bracelet around her wrist . " You don't think I am being daft ? I think Neville, Harry, and Ginny all though I was exaggerating my worry but I'm not "

" No, Luna, I don't think you are ," says Hermione ," and you're entitled your feelings . Besides if you noticed that Hannah is ..well, flirting around your boyfriend then I believe that is what you heard . If there is any way I can help..I would be glad to .."

Luna smiled, gently. " Thanks, Hermione , I appreciate that very much "

She paused and sent her a curious look. " How are you and Ron ?"

Hermione sighed, under her breath. " Ron is trying to make up for his being a prat and I am trying really hard to believe that I am not the rebound girl …its much more difficult than I had anticipated actually "

" Ron adores you, Hermione ," said a dreamy Luna ," his whole aura is practically you "

Hermione blushed ," Be serious, Luna . "

" I take auras quite seriously as my Mum taught me how to read them when I was a child ," explained Luna ," and you needn't worry about Ron's feelings for you "

" Ron does , er, ..make a compelling argument , I must admit "

" I think you should stop worrying and follow your heart , Hermione " declared Luna .

" It is a scary leap to make …." murmured Hermione , very softly .

Just then Ron emerged from behind the shelves and her heart leaped in her chest .

" Mione ," Ron held out a hand ," can you take a walk with me ? "

" I'm studying, Ronald , " pointed Out Hermione, though she longed to go," Luna and I are studying However, I suppose a walk might be nice "

A pleased grin formed along the edges of his mouth and he took her hand .

" Yeah ," Ron stared at their intertwined hands and felt the connection solidly ," good . Oh, Luna , Neville said for me to tell you that he's showing Hannah you guys salve and he would meet you for supper ….."

Hannah

" Thank you, Ron ," Luna began collecting her books ," I think perhaps I should go help Hagrid feed the Thestrals again…give him a bit of a break "

" Luna , it could mean ..nothing …or not " murmured an understanding Hermione .

" I trust Neville " Luna headed past them as fast as her feet could take her.

" Did I miss something here ?" inquired Ron, having a hunch .

" I don't know ..maybe " hedged Hermione ," why do you want me to walk with you ?"

" I want to be alone with you " answered Ron, his gaze intense and direct on hers .

" Oh "

Hermione quickly gathered her things and allowed Ron to lead her to the Transfiguration bridge where they could speak privately .

Despite her own fears and reservations, Hermione felt excitement shiver through her body and understood that it was time she told Ronald some of her own truths .


	25. Chapter 26

A/N: Alrighty, folks, if I wasn't AU before , I totally am now as it is time to kick in the romance factor in this story. Yep, I am talking about Ron and Hermione here .

Ron's got to take some serious action here .

Disclaimer : Nope, I still don't own Harry Potter .

Hermione followed Ron, who was all but dragging her to a secluded corner of the castle, his long legs carrying him faster than she expected .

" Ron, slow down . What is the big hurry ? Honestly , you are nearly tearing my arm from its socket….." berated Hermione as he stopped , finally and sent her a lopsided smile .

" Sorry, Hermione ," said Ron," I just wanted to be alone with you "

" Oh " managed Hermione ," I ..thought we agreed to take things slow "

" I did ..I mean, yea, I don't want to rush you into something your not ready for ," Ron scratched his head ," but bloody hell, Hermione , do we really need to go any slower ? I know I was a prat to you and your bit frightened cause of that but Merlin, I want to be with you "

" I need to be sure , Ronald ," murmured Hermione ," I mean, it wasn't all that long ago you were professing your love for lavender …."

" I never professed anything for her , we snogged, that's all "

Hermione pursed her lips together, thinly. " I just…I care too much about you..and I couldn't bear it if I was another last resort like I was our 4th year "

" I was a bloody moron, Mione , and don't be bringin that ruddy Krum into this "

" I wasn't bringing Victor into anything !" argued Hermione , pointedly .

" I don't want to fight with you," stated Ron, pulling at his hair ," Merlin, Mione , I am frustrated beyond belief and I want you so much its driving me nutters !"

Her protest died on her lips at his admission. " W..what ?"

" I am damn tired of waiting …pretending …" Ron moved closer , his hand shot out , and grasped her waist, pulling her body against his ," pretending that we're not real '

Her lips quivered at his nearness as she found herself pulled into those deep, clear blue eyes that spoke so much of what he never could say and became lost .

Hermione reached out, touching his chest , and felt his heart beating against her fingertips. Anything logical and practical flew out of her mind and it was all him.

" Ron ….."

" This is how I feel about you " Ron pulled her even closer, brought his lips down to hers, and took her ,over and under , fallling dreamlessly into a deep kiss that went on and on.

Her arms wound around his neck and she couldn't get close enough to him as she met him, kiss for kiss, sighing into his lips .

This was purely heaven .

Ron broke the kiss to nuzzle her ear, whispering her name, fervently . " Mione "

Hermione played with the hair at the nape of his neck, kissed the side of his jaw, then their lips met in another heart-rendering , soul searching , heart-stopping kiss .

When they kiss ended , Hermione looked up and into his eyes, which were sparkling devilishly at her . " I ..never thought you would kiss me like that '

Ron 's lips split into a pure male grin. " I have been ..dying, Hermione , dying to kiss you like that for years "

She snuggled into his arms, happily. " It's always been you for me, too , Ron"

" So, does this mean we can stop rowing and just be together , sweetheart ?"

" I rather like rowing with you, Ronald, " Hermione smiled, sweetly at him," it's quite exciting , I have to admit , and it would be silly for us not to be together "

" I was hoping you'd come round to my way of thinking , love " teased Ron, kissing her hair .

" you think you're so clever, Ronald Weasley …" she couldn't resist teasing him back .

" Always that tone of surprise …" Ron drew her into a slow, steady kiss , unaware that Seamus and Parvarti were rounding the corner, catching the new couple.

" About time ," Seamus let out a wolf whistle ," now I can collect my winnings "

Parvarti shook her head ," It was inevitable , Seamus , but don't be blabbing just yet about Granger and Weasley. I still have to deal with Lavender and sadly, my best friend is already in a snit of denial since Ron ended things with her "

" Bout time, you two," Seamus was sincere ," congrats on finally getting it together "

" Thanks, Seamus, appreciate it " volunteered Ron as Hermione groaned in dismay.

She colored in embarrassment and buried her face in the curve of his neck .

" I hate being the subject of gossip " muttered Hermione, under her breath .

" It will die down , Mione ," assured Ron, stroking her back, lightly ," pretty sure you and I will be old news, once it gets out that Hannah has a thing for Neville "

" Ronald ! What on earth are you saying ? Neville is devoted to Luna "

" Yeah but I'm just telling you pretty sure Hannah has a thing for him," stated Ron, nuzzling her neck," and how about we go somewhere more private , love ? We have a lot of snogging to make up for …."

Hermione smacked his chest," Ronald "

" You know you want to kiss me " taunted Ron, seriously .

Hermione couldn't hide her smile ," Prat "

" Your prat …" Ron kissed her, deeply, revertly, and the world faded around them.

Despite the weather ,Harry and Ginny bundled up and walked down to the empty Quid ditch pitch, holding hands, and talking quietly amongst themselves .

" Gin, " Harry sat down on the bench and pulled her on his lap," whatever I found out from Slughorn, whatever happens, I need for you not to do anything foolish "

Ginny played with his hands." you've hardly told me a thing about what your searching for, Harry, so I don't know how I would act foolish "

" I am just thinking of your safety ,' Harry kissed the shell of her ear ," promise "

" I love that your noble, Harry, but really, I am very capable " assured Ginny

" Stop arguing like Hermione and do this one thing for me, please " tried Harry, once more .

The girl was too stubborn for her own good .

" Fine , I wont do anything foolish, Harry " Ginny tapped a finger against his chest,' and the same goes for you, Mr. I am The Chosen one "

" I can promise to try not to but no guarantees " admitted Harry , sheepishly .

Harry kissed the soft skin of her neck. " You make me unbelievably happy "

" Harry, if you start talking about dying, I am going to kill you " stated Ginny, turning around in his arms and winding her arms around his neck," I know its hard not to think about it with everything going on but I thought we were going to try "

" I am trying , Gin .." Harry caressed her jaw , nipping lightly at her skin .

Ginny gave him a little , playful shove and they tumbled onto the pitch, together , laughing . His coat came unbuttoned and she found the warm skin beneath his tee shirt , tracing patterns against it as she moved her lips persuasively over his .

" Harry, " reminded Ginny, her eyes full of love and desire ," lets worry about the fate of the wizarding world when we don't have this romantic pitch all to ourselves "

" Romantic ? " Harry held her to him, very aware of her chest pressing into his body and the heat that raced and skyrocketed between them.

" Yes, romantic and sexy ….." Ginny pressed a tiny kiss to his scar then proceeded to scatter kisses across his face," and you make me the happiest girl at Hogwarts "

" I care ..so much, Gin " muttered Harry , daring to touch the smooth skin beneath her jumper , " its ..important that you know that "

" Never had a doubt , Harry ," Ginny deftly worked on removing his thick jacket ," and maybe you'd better use one of those handy half blood prince spells so that no one can see us. I would hate to be expelled because we were caught snogging on the pitch…..the twins would never let me live it down .."

" After they murdered me first…" quipped Harry, already muttering an incantation under their breath for a bit of privacy .The Astronomy Tower might be a bit more private but he couldn't help but think this was all exciting and brand new .

" I love your adventurous spirit , Ginny " Harry kissed her palm ,before entwining their fingers, together .

" I love you too, Harry " Ginny captured his lips in a never-ending kiss that all but scorched the pitch as they gave into their growing passion and feelings for each other .

Neither had planned it to be anything more than just snogging and being together but the heat and the fire blazed, burned between them , wildly , and Harry and Ginny followed the tumultuous wave where it took them, together .

Leaving no doubt in either of their minds that they were soul mates .

Side note : **The couples took control over their destinies and I mainly penned what they insisted happen ..alas the **Harry/**Ginny is dedicated to the always supportive and loyal journey rocks who also keeps me on my toes and inspired . Thanks . **


	26. Chapter 27

Disclaimer : Nope, still don't own Harry Potter , sadly enough.

Harry was unusually quiet as he held Ginny close to him, his thoughts all over the place and wondering what had come over him. Clearly, he must have been mad .

" Harry , stop it," scolded Ginny, caressing the side of his face," I love you. I don't regret anything and neither should you…."

" I don't..I mean, I feel like maybe I shouldn't have rushed you..us " stumbled Harry ," bollocks ! Ginny, I don't know what I was thinking last night ! "

Ginny grabbed his face and soothed him with a kiss ." Are you planning on chucking me to the side now that we've been together , Harry ?"

" Of course not, Ginny ," Harry relaxed and kissed her fiery tresses ," I would never do that. I don't regret being with you..I just ..oh god, if Ron finds out, I am dead '

Ginny laughed ," I've no intention of giving my sod faced turnip for brains moronic brother details regarding our love life , Harry "

" Right " Harry kissed her shoulder ," You know that you mean everything to me "

" yes, Harry , I do know this ," reassured Ginny ," which is why I am not freaking out over what happened between us. So, stop it !"

" You know its like five ," realized Harry, warily ,' we'd better get back to the dorms before someone realizes we're not there and haven't been all night "

He scratched his head , nervously ." Kind of glad Ron didn't come looking for me "

" Same goes for Hermione ," mused Ginny, reaching for her jumper ," course she's been distracted trying not to get murdered in her sleep by Lavender "

Harry shoved his glasses up on his face. " It's been that bad ?"

" Lavender hasn't been making it easy on Hermione ," admitted Ginny," our friend is great at ignoring her but it cant be easy . Lavender has been taunting Hermione about how far she and my prat of a brother had gotten …"

" I'm just glad Ron ended things with Lavender " Harry shoved his arms in his own tee shirt, handing his girlfriend her jeans .

" Me too,' Ginny darted her gaze around the pitch," I will never look at the pitch the same ..ever again "

Harry grinned , wolfishly . " I never knew you were quite this adventurous , Gin "

Ginny kissed him, hungrily . " You should have, Harry "

She stood and slid her feet into her shoes , offered him her hand as they stood , taking a moment . " You were pretty adventurous yourself, Harry "

He felt color flush his cheeks but put his arms around her waist." You bring it out of me, I suppose, Ginny "

" You know, I am absolutely starving ," decided Ginny, " let's go down to the kitchen. I am famished …eggs and bacon sound positively wonderful "

" I love a girl with an appetite " Harry took her hand and they headed inside the castle.

Deep down in the recesses of his heart, Harry knew that his deep feelings for Ginny were verging and nearly catapulting into love but even though he yearned to express these newfound feelings to her, he held them safe.

Voldermort had targeted her once before and Harry refused to give him power to hurt the girl who had come to mean the world to him .

He needed to stop killing time and find another way to get that memory from Snape or he was terribly afraid if he didn't , there wouldn't be a lot of happiness .

Luna was watching the flames of the fire with rapt attention in the Gryffindor common room, a blanket wrapped against her knees as she contemplated the worries and her own wild thoughts as of late . It was early morning and having not been able to sleep, she had dressed and followed her heart into Gryffindor , wanting to see her boyfriend .

Naturally Neville was still upstairs, sleeping , so she had reached for a blanket and was waiting for him to wake up so that they could talk.

Hannah Abbott was clearly interested in her boyfriend .

She truly believed this and though this silly green eyed monster of jealousy gave her a horrible stomach ache and bothered her , Luna felt that Neville wasn't taking her concern all that seriously .

Did this mean that they had trust issues ?

She wasn't sure but the idea of the pretty Hannah gushing over her sweet Neville had her thinking not so nice thoughts about the other girl .

Hermione had assured her this wasn't unheard of and that she had been vile towards Lavender herself when Ron had been with the daft dimbo.

" Sssh ," said Harry in hushed tones ," we don't want to wake everyone "

Ginny pulled him inside the common room, swinging an arm around his neck, and planting a smoldering kiss across his mouth. " Mhm, go to sleep, Harry "

" Your distracting me, Gin " Harry kissed her eyelids ," good night "

Ginny giggled ," Love you too, Harry "

" Good morning " called Luna, lifting her head from the floor to send her two friends a warm smile ,' I thought I was the only one awake at this hour "

" Luna " Harry let go of Ginny ," what are you doing over here ? It's really early…and this isn't Raven claw …where is Neville ?"

" I couldn't sleep so I am waiting for Neville to wake up so we can have a talk ," says Luna, simply ," Ginny, isn't that Harry's jumper your wearing ?"

" Merlin, it is Harry's ," replied Ginny," I got cold and his jumper is warmer than mine "

" I am surprised her jumper fits you, Harry , as you're a bit broader and certainly muscular than what a girl is …" said Luna, innocently .

" I'm going to bed now " decided Harry , embarrassed and unsure of what to say," Luna, would you like me to wake Neville for you ?"

" Oh no, Harry ," answered Luna ," I am positive Neville will be down by eight "

Harry kissed Ginny once more . " Breakfast or brunch at noon ?"

" Noon sounds good to me " agreed Ginny as Harry headed up to the boys dorm.

Ginny grabbed a blanket off of the chest and moved to lay down on the floor beside her friend , snuggling into the warmth and letting out a yawn.

" I know you can read our auras , Luna ," sighed Ginny," and yes, everything is wonderful . Please don't mention it to anyone …."

" I wouldn't ," murmured Luna , softly ," I love that you and Harry are in love "

" He cant admit it to me but I know how he feels ," confessed Ginny," Harry has the weight of the whole wizarding world on his plate and that is more important than us . "

" Which is why he loves you " said Luna ," and I believe I am not good at love "

Ginny gave her a playful shove. " Luna, what are you talking about ? You and Neville couldn't be any more perfect for one another so I think your being silly "

" Hannah is going to make Neville think twice about being with me " says Luna in a tiny voice ," I saw it, Ginny "

" What do you mean you saw it ?" questioned Ginny, sitting up with rapt attention .

" I was a bit down on myself after Neville came in late for supper because he'd been showing Hannah our new healing salve ," explained Luna ," he was very excited that she found it brilliant . He ….he likes the new attention, I think "

" He's a bloody bloke ," stated Ginny," they all like the attention. It doesn't mean he is going to chuck you cause Hannah wants to flirt about with him…."

" I scryed , Ginny ," explained Luna ," Hannah is after Neville . I saw it with my own two eyes and Neville likes her …..I shouldn't want to be mean but I do "

" Jealous " deduced Ginny, knowingly ," I'm sorry I downplayed your feelings earlier, Luna . This is really bothering you. Isn't it ?"

" I am not the sort of girl to be in any competition " said Luna, carefully ," it shouldn't feel like I am competing for my boyfriend anyhow "

" Which is why your in Gryffindor at this ridiculous hour " finished Ginny, knowingly .

" Yes " answered Luna, simply.

" Truthfully, I cant see Hannah as anything more than a friend to Neville but tell Neville this is really upsetting you ," offered Ginny," maybe he will stay away from her "

" I wont tell him who he can and cant be friends with ..that wouldn't be right "

" Just tell him the truth , Luna "

Neville ran a hand through his hair, mussing it up a bit, and straightened the collar on his shirt and found his girlfriend sitting on the floor by the fireplace.

" Luna ," brought up Neville with a yawn," Harry said you were down here . What's the matter ? "

Ginny yawned and headed to the girls dormitory , leaving them alone .

Luna stood, dropping the blanket on the floor. " I am quite jealous of your friendship with Hannah and I don't like it one bit, Neville "

" Lun, we talked about this ," replied Neville , taking her hands into his ," Hannah and I are merely friends . I don't think of her as anything more ….its you I love "

" You really love me , Neville ?" questioned an insecure Luna .

" Yes, Luna Lovegood, I really love you " Neville kissed her , sweetly ," and I don't intend to jeopardize our relationship because of a friend "

" I scryed about you two," admitted Luna , nervously ," I am not imagining things "

" I wish you wouldn't scry ,Luna ," Neville pulled her close to him," that scares me that you can do that. Whatever you saw or think you saw was just an illusion , it wasn't real and it wont become real . Will you believe me , please "

" I just ..I love you " murmured Luna , holding onto the lapel of his robe .

Neville kissed her, firmly. " I love you too "

Dean Thomas entered through the Fat Lady, holding his head and wincing .

" Glad your both in love all that bloody rubbish but could you keep it down," remarked Dean ," I've had a vat of fire whiskey and you lot are talking way too loud "

Neville flashed a grin ," I thought you blokes hadn't snuck anymore of that in the castle "

" Weasley and Seamus hid this batch real good ," told Dean ," Luna, you wanna be a good friend and find the hangover spell to help me out here ?"

" I think a nice pot of coffee would help just fine " contributed Luna , simply .

" There really isn't any privacy here in Gryffindor " grumbled a good natured Neville , kissing his girlfriends cheek," you get the coffee, I'll brew up the potion "

" Ah I love you two …." Dean slung an arm around both of their shoulders ," appreciate it "

" What I did for love …." murmured Luna , kissing Neville and going to help.

She was still iffy because of what she had seen when she had scried but she didn't doubt that Neville loved her . She loved him with her whole heart.

That would have to be more than enough to get them through.


End file.
